Contrived Flaws
by GoXC
Summary: Hyuuga Hinata was not the perfect anything; She was not the perfect ninja, she was not the perfect heiress, and she most certainly was not the perfect wife. But Itachi didn't mind, he planned on ignoring her anyway. Non-mass.
1. The News

_Hello all! If you're new to my writing, welcome! If you're not, I'm super sorry! I sat down to write the next chapter of Qualities, and my fingers typed this (The first three chapters of this, to be exact). I didn't fight it because: A- I finally had time to sit down and write and I didn't want to unproductively stare at the screen and mull over Qualities. B- I wanted to write Itachi cause he's a challenge, like Sai and Neji. C- I think this pairing is odd, but super cute! Also, first go at a non-humorous story!_

**Important Notes: **_This is non-mass, and it may be AU-ish in other fashions from time to time. In other words, I'm not going to stress over making everything just right. It's already non canon so I'm just going to let it flow. If I change things around, it will be minor and to fit my plans. The characters may be slightly different due to different events taking place (For instance, Sasuke has parents because it's non-mass, so naturally his character is altered slightly), but nothing seriously OOC if I can help it. Also, I write because it's fun and a break from more stressful activities, so I'm not going to toil over what sort of political changes would take place if there wasn't a massacre, I'm just making it non-mass because I'm too lazy to write around Itachi's death. YAY! Also, for those of you who will whine about Hinata's character, please give her a chance, I'm not going to make her a whiny, useless little girl, _but_ she is still Hinata. She will still get nervous easily with intimidating people and stammer or turn red, etc. But she will come into her own with Itachi, it's just gonna take some time. Oh, also, I started out by doing some japanese (Otou-sama, etc) but then I decided it was alot of trouble to look them up and make sure I was using them properly, so I'll just say father, or brother. Occasionaly, if it's exceptionally fitting, or sounds better, I might use some. If I use an honorific it's because I felt it was important to express the relationship there, or if it fits the character (Like Naruto saying Hinata-chan). _

_Okay, you can read now! Enjoy! _

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><p><strong>Contrived Flaws<strong>

_Ch 1: The News_

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><p><em>It was a funny thing, how she never noticed.<em>

_She never put the pieces of the puzzle together. In fact, she didn't even recognize that there __was __a puzzle. She thought it was pure coincidence, or perhaps luck. She might've even been inclined to jump on the bandwagon with Neji and say it was fate._

_But never, ever did she think it was on purpose. Never did she imagine it was planned._

_It had happened since she exited the academy and began going on missions. In the oddest of places, at the most opportune times, he would show up. He would come and go in the blink of an eye, but he was there. Deflecting a kunai she might've otherwise missed or incapacitating an enemy she couldn't otherwise have defeated. He had saved her life on a few occasions, and yes, she thought it odd, but never did she think it was deliberate. Never did she imagine he had gone out of his way._

_What she failed to realize was that nothing was accidental about Uchiha Itachi._

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><p>Hyuuga Hinata's eighteenth birthday was not met with fanfare or celebration. It was not met with surprises or presents. It was not met with well-wishes and compliments. It was simply another day. Ordinary, like any other.<p>

Except for one, small thing.

"Hiashi-sama wishes to speak with you." Hinata's normal breakfast routine was interrupted, causing her to drop her glass of water. It crashed soundlessly to the plush carpet, depositing its contents only after it had landed. The heiress squeaked in a rather unbecoming manner, as she often did.

"My apologies Hinata-sama, I did not mean to startle you," the servant apologized and bowed, though she was used to her antics, "I will clean this up immediately."

"Oh, th-that's alright. Thank you," Hinata muttered before rising - in a rather ungraceful manner - to her feet and dashing out of the dining area.

To say she was nervous would be a gross understatement. Hinata was not often called into her father's presence with such formality. In fact, she was not often called into her father's presence at all. He would sometimes venture to her when she was sitting in the garden and question her regarding her training or the like, but it was a rare occurrence. He was not by any means the ideal father.

She timidly approached the door to his office and poked her head inside, "Father," she greeted him with her customary bow.

"Hinata," he motioned toward a chair opposite his desk, "Please, sit."

She padded inside cautiously, as if something was going to jump out and attack her. The office was, in a word, ostentatious. It was dark, and imposing, with rich cherry wood walls and a matching desk, all with intricate patterns tireless carved into them. The matching wooden floor was largely covered by an ornate rug - navy, with patterns in dark green and black running throughout. The only relief from the overall dark, oppressive nature, were the ivory curtains - a perfect match to the Hyuuga eyes - draping long and carefree, from the high ceiling.

The heiress sat down gingerly in the tall chair - with it's decorative golden legs, and rich purple seat -her toes barely brushing the floor. She did her best to sit up straight and proper, and folded her hands together neatly in her lap, lest she nervously fidget with them.

"You are eighteen today," he stated the obvious, but with a tone that made one feel as if they were hearing some new and marvelous news.

Hinata simply nodded. Her father often began conversations with such self-evident information before revealing more significant news.

"An infinitely important day," he continued, piercing her with his ivory orbs. The heiress swallowed hard, and wished her anxiousness was not so blatantly obvious to her father. One should not feel as though they are under the microscope, being interrogated, evaluated, when speaking with their father. "I am not one for extraneous words, so I will move to the point. The great clans, such as ourselves, are always at war with one another. We are threatened by the power of other clans, as they are threatened by us. This often leads to war and massacre. Few know of it, but several years ago, there was an uprising within the Uchiha clan that almost led to such a situation. It was decided then, in an effort to equalize power and bring peace among ourselves, that the Uchiha heir would marry the Hyuuga heiress when she came of age."

Hinata blinked, forcing her mind to digest the information. _She _is the Hyuuga heiress and… Oh Kami, it's her eighteenth birthday. "M-me?" she blurted out, recognizing her mistake a moment too late.

Hiashi leaned back in his chair and gave her a look of derision, "You are familiar with the Uchiha heir?"

"S-sasuke?" she willed herself to stop stuttering, but her nerves were clearly running the show.

Poorly concealed irritation leaked from the Hyuuga elder, "Uchiha Sasuke is _not_ the heir to the clan," he spoke as if such a thought was ludicrous, "It is Itachi."

The heiress swallowed again as she tried desperately to scan her brain. Itachi…Itachi. _Itachi! _Of course, how could she have forgotten Itachi! She blamed the nausea and light headedness that was pervading her senses.

The realization was clearly evident to her father who began nodding slowly, "You know of him," he stated matter-of-factly, "Good. You will be meeting with him later today to discuss the wedding." He turned his chair away from her slightly, taking his gaze off of her for the first time since she entered the room. "That is all," he stated with such finality that Hinata could not find it in her to protest, but instead dumbly stood up and exited the room.

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><p>The remainder of the day was fraught with nervous pacing and hand wringing. She was told she would have to cancel her plans to celebrate with her friends, in favor of being prepared to meet her future husband. Not exactly how the heiress imagined she would be spending her birthday.<p>

She found she was treated like a child's doll the rest of the day. She was bathed, groomed, dressed, posed this was and that, without once referencing her will or opinion. She was simply the plaything of her father, who instructed the servants on how to prepare her for the momentous occasion. Not one of them expressed empathy or remorse over her situation. Not one commented on her sweaty palms or incessant twitching. They simply performed their jobs without undue conversation - exactly how Hiashi liked them. And exactly how Hinata hated them.

"My hair is a bit short for styling," she forced a nervous laugh - which sounded more like a sob - to the woman who was currently fussing with her hair.

"Hyuuga-sama insists you look your best," she responded in a stilted tone, before resetting her mouth into a thin line of concentration.

Hinata chewed on the inside of her lower lip. She had already been forced to sit on her hands, lest she mess up her perfectly manicured fingernails by pressing, and chewing, and fidgeting. It was all she could to do hold back the tears.

The servant frowned as she brushed her hair over and over, experimentally holding it this way and that, before ultimately deciding there was nothing to be done with it. She finished by clipping a small, decorative butterfly on the left side of her hair, before declaring she was done.

The heiress was then dressed in a formal kimono. It was of the lightest lavender color and had tiny butterflies embroidered in ivory, along the edge of the sleeves and bottom. Hinata thought it was breathtakingly beautiful, but it was marred by the simple reason she was wearing it. As she appraised herself in the mirror she felt the barely contained anxiety creeping back in. It brought it's close friends - nausea and dizziness - along with it.

Before she could say, "Excuse me, I need to go empty the contents of my stomach," she was ushered out of her room and down to the large meeting room in which her fate lay, or rather, sat. She found that while her mind was screaming protests, and perhaps even a few profanities, she was calmly allowing herself to be led along the lengthy corridors of the Hyuuga compound, looking for all the world a willing participant.

As she entered the room, neither of the Uchiha's - Itachi, or his father - bothered acknowledging her presence. Itachi was seated directly in her line of sight, on a large couch, with his father to his left. The both of them were sitting rigid and proper, as was Hiashi, as if they were all trying to outdo the other. Fugaku was chatting idly with her father as he absent-mindedly sipped his tea. Meanwhile, Itachi was staring, unmoving, at a small jade statue of a horse across the room. His face was devoid of expression, as it often was. None the less, he looked as if he hadn't possibly been subjected to the same treatment she had. Still, his hair was neatly bound, with the shorter pieces falling lazily over his headband and into his eyes. He was wearing standard black ninja pants, with a long sleeved black shirt, and no vest. He was not at all dressed up, but despite this, he still managed to look regal and imposing.

Hinata knew well of Uchiha Itachi, everyone did. He was a genius, a prodigy. His abilities phenomenal. His detachment legendary. His piercing gaze could strike fear into the hearts of the bravest of shinobi, while his looks could melt even the strongest of women into a helpless puddle of admiration.

The heiress was both a shinobi and a young woman, and as the Uchiha heir's gaze snapped up to meet hers, she felt the fear stab into her heart even as she admired his beauty. The flood of emotions was so sudden and intense that Hinata's body was literally torn between fleeing the room and being utterly paralyzed to the spot. In the end, she made an awkward half-step toward the door before freezing at the sound of her name.

"Hinata, I am pleased you decided to join us," It was her father, and at his words all attention shifted to her, as she stood, still in her state of attempted escape. She immediately flushed a bright and unbecoming red.

Itachi looked away with tempered annoyance, settling his gaze once again on the jade statue.

"Come, sit," her father ordered as he motioned for her to sit beside him, and across from her future husband. She toddled awkwardly over, silently praying she wouldn't trip, or fall, or do anything mortifyingly embarrassing. She succeeded in reaching the couch, but failed miserably at her attempt to ease gracefully into her seat, and instead settled with a startling _plop_.

"Please excuse my son's appearance," Fugaku started, evidently speaking to her, "His mission was delayed considerably."

Hinata, who had not yet spoken for fear of stuttering, simply nodded, hoping that would suffice for the time being. She felt her face and neck burning with a fiery intensity, and resisted the urge to press a cool hand to her cheek.

"Uchiha-sama and I have some business to discuss. Please excuse us," Hiashi spoke to both her and Itachi, before they swiftly exited the room, the large door sounding off and echoing in the vast expanse of ceiling.

The heiress twitched nervously as Itachi continued to stare at the horse statue. "Y-you l-like th-… like that?" she strained to get her words out clearly, but failed magnificently and ended up turning a deeper shade of red. She briefly wondered if dying of embarrassment was possible. If so, she hoped it happened soon. Itachi said nothing in response, and continued to stare, unblinking. "The st-statue," she clarified, wondering why on earth she was continuing to speak.

Just when she was sure he was going to continue blatantly ignoring her, he tore his eyes from the statue and gazed at her intensely, "We are to be wed for the sake of our clans. Compatibility is not a requirement, nor is conversing. Your efforts are in vain."

Hinata swallowed roughly and wished he would look back at the horse, or anything but her. His eyes were igniting fear and anxiety like a flame ignited gasoline. The remains of her composure was going up in flames. Meanwhile he simply stared at her, looking perfectly at ease, if not a little bored.

"I-I…I know," she managed to squeak out, before her self-control broke and she pressed both of her palms to her cheeks. The coolness quickly evaporated, leaving her hands warm and her face still burning.

Itachi looked away, as if the sight of her was much to disgusting for his regal eyes to behold.

"You d-don't want t-to?" she questioned. She simply couldn't stand the silence, and a part of her was begging to know: Did he hate this just as much as she did?

"Want is a luxury. I do what is necessary for my clan."

She took that as a no. "S-sasuke-kun is closer to my age, wh-why not him?"

His eyes snapped to meet hers again, causing her to gasp quietly, "You would be more pleased with my foolish little brother as your husband?"

"N-no!" she blurted out, much too loudly, "I-I was just… w-wondering."

"There are many reasons," he replied, letting his gaze wander around the room again, "None of which you are required to know." He reached forward to grab his tea for the first time, his slender, gloveless fingers grasping the handle, and sipped it quietly before continuing to speak, much to Hianta's surprise, "You are desperate to please your father in any way. He knows this and is certain he will have your cooperation. I am willing to make the necessary sacrifices for the sake of my clan," he set his tea down on the small table, managing to do so without making a single noise, "It is the ideal situation."

_Ideal situation! _Hinata briefly wondered if he was insane or simply brainwashed. The logic behind his statement rung true, but the helplessness of her situation was starting to overcome her. It was real. He was real. And he was going to be her husband whether she liked it or not.

"Y-you knew about… about t-this?" she forced the words out, hoping the intense focus would quell her thoughts for now.

"Of course. I was informed when the deal was made."

"You… w-when was that?"

"I was thirteen, you were eight," he said casually as he crossed one leg over the other. He cocked his head slightly and met her gaze again, his coal-black orbs piercing her snow-white ones, "You did not?"

She shook her head vigorously, "I-I just found out th-this morning."

Astonishment briefly flickered across the Uchiha's face, but it was quickly schooled into his usual blank expression, "It hardly matters."

Hinata felt anger swell within her. It broke through her barriers of anxiety and fear, respect and self preservation. "Of course it matters!" she screeched, leaning forward in her seat, "I should have been told before! It's… It's too much!" she buried her heated face into her hands as her body rocked with long overdue sobs. The tears were hot and moist in her hands as a multitude of emotions washed over her. The sadness she had held back, the fear, the crushing reality of the situation. The embarrassment that she was crying in front of her future husband. The worry that her father would scold her for yelling at the Uchiha heir. The mortification that she was still the sobbing, stuttering, useless little girl she was when she was seventeen, when she was seven.

She squeezed her eyes shut tightly to stop the flood of tears. She knew better, she should've waited, she should've held it a little longer. She messily wiped her eyes, the sleeves of her kimono showing the telltale signs of dampness. When she glanced up at Itachi, he was back to gazing at his horse statue, as if there wasn't a girl - his future wife - crying her heart out a mere meter away.

"I-I'm s-s-sorry," she sniffled, but the Uchiha continued to ignore her.

When their fathers returned, some twenty minutes later, Hinata was infinitely more composed than she had been before. The heat in her face had died down to a simple pink tinge. The puffiness - evidence of her tears - had evaporated. The dampness of her kimono long dried as she sat, like Itachi, staring into space.

"I trust you are getting along well," Hiashi was the first to speak.

"Perfectly," Itachi answered, meeting her fathers gaze with his own, unwavering one.

Hinata made a mental note that he was an excellent liar before shifting her mind to more pressing matters. Like praying her father wouldn't ask her the same question. She was not so gifted at telling untruths.

Luckily, he didn't, as he probably suspected the Uchiha was lying anyhow.

"Then it's settled," Fugaku spoke up this time, "You will be wed one week from tomorrow."

Hinata choked on an intake of air. A week? Didn't they need time to plan or… realize their mistake? The surprise was evident on her face as she sat there, dumbfounded and shocked into submission.

Itachi seemed unpurterbed as he smoothly, and ever so gracefully stood up, "Until then."

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><p>In the privacy of her room - after maintaining her composure through her father's lecture about the wedding, most of which went in one ear and out the other, and enduring the ritual that was, undressing - she was finally able to be her self, her true self. And what her true self wanted to do was wallow in self-pity.<p>

Just as she was about to drown in it, a knock sounded at the door. Hinata froze from her position face down on her bed, crying with the intensity of one whose life has been changed with a few small words.

"I know you're in there, I can see you," came an annoyed voice.

The Hyuuga heiress dragged herself up and swung the door open, "Hanabi, you know how father feels about you using the Byakugan in the compound," she sniffled pathetically between words.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she said, feigning innocence as her eyes were back to normal. She clasped her hands behind her back and rolled back and forth on the balls of her feet, "Can I come in, dear sister?"

Hinata left the door open in reply and returned to her prone position on the bed.

Shutting the door quietly behind her, Hanabi spoke, "I heard what happened."

The older sister sniffled and wiped her eyes in vain as she attempted to appear more composed than she was.

She failed spectacularly. "I know you're upset," her younger sister continued, "but look on the bright side."

Hinata sat up and grabbed a pillow, hugging it to her chest, "What?"

"Itachi-san is gorgeous!" Hanabi squealed, flopping on the end of her sister's bed.

The older sister's lips twitched slightly as she picked at a loose thread on the pillow, "He's okay."

"Are you kidding? Every girl in Konoha would _die_ to go out with him. I mean, sure, he's kind of… quiet, but have you _seen_ him?" She sighed and stared up at the ceiling as if reliving some moment in time. "Plus, he's like a total badass ANBU captain!"

ANBU identities were supposed to be a secret, but some of them, you just knew. Take Kakashi for example, _silver_ hair. You'd have to be thick not to notice. And Itachi, well, he was kind of famous.

"I guess," Hinata said, looking rather lackluster about the whole thing. Clearly she wasn't convinced.

"What I'm saying is," Hanabi continued, as she brandished a fingernail file from seemingly nowhere and began filing away at her nails, "It could be worse. At least it's not like… someone ugly."

Hyuuga Hanabi was still at the fangirling age, where she thought she knew everything about love and boys, and where looks were, by and far, _the_ most important aspect in a potential boyfriend. And every self-respecting fangirl in Konoha had a crush on Uchiha Itachi, that's just the way it was.

Hinata nodded, more to herself than her sister, "Maybe it won't be so bad."

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><p><em>Thanks for reading! Review if you'd like! <em>

_...Next Chapter..._

"The Gossip"


	2. The Gossip

**Contrived Flaws**

_Ch 2: The Gossip_

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><p>Her sister told her it was pathetic, but then, Hanabi was never one to mince words. She supposed she was like her father that way, direct, if not a little harsh. Hinata felt that was a very brash way to communicate, but that was beside the point.<p>

Sakura had said it'd be wise to give up, he was never going to get a clue.

And Neji, well, Neji offered to beat him up, but Hinata didn't want that. Besides, she suspected he had other reasons for offering, he never did like the boy that much. At best he held a begrudging respect for him.

The thing was, the Hyuuga heiress had given her heart to a certain someone at a very young age. In fact, she had never, _ever_ looked at another boy after she discovered her love for Naruto. She was kind of old fashioned that way.

Hinata sat in the Hyuuga garden, with only the flowers and her thoughts to keep her company. She had always adored the garden, since she was a small girl. It had been the one place in the Hyuuga compound that she could escape to. It was simply so free, so refreshing. She had often envied the flowers when she was younger, they were always able to be themselves. No matter who criticized them or judged them, they just were. Meanwhile the young heiress was pulled this way and that, always forced into the mold her father had made for her. The trouble was, she never seemed to fit. It was rather like forcing a square block into a round hole.

Presently, the dark haired girl was trying to meditate - as she often did in the garden - it was just so very hard to concentrate on _not_ concentrating on anything when one was going to be married in less than a week. She scrubbed her face with her hands, something she had been told time and time again was _very_ unladylike. The cold winter air rushed around her in a gust, but she hardly felt it. She was simply too preoccupied; too inside her own mind to notice her cold nose, or that her toes were starting to go numb. No matter how hard she tried, thoughts kept floating into her head - well, more like rushing headlong, than floating. Thoughts of her upcoming marriage to a certain Uchiha, to be exact. It wasn't that she had anything against Itachi, she hardly knew him, it was just that she had always imagined herself marrying someone else.

Truth be told, Hinata _had_ dreamed of her wedding day. She was the sensitive little girl that dreamt of white dresses and flowers and happily ever afters. Truth be told, she had always pictured a certain someone standing there with her. A certain knuckleheaded ninja named Naruto.

Now, Hinata would never openly admit this - at least, she'd never say it out loud - but she had always kind of thought she would end up marrying the kyuubi container. Sure, he had never expressed _any _kind of interest in her, and sure, he had sort of inadvertently shot her down a few times, but still…

She loved him, and that was all that mattered, right?

Except that wasn't true, and she realized now that it _didn't _matter. It _never_ mattered. It didn't matter when she was eight, it didn't matter when she was twelve. It didn't matter all those times she thought of confessing. It wouldn't have mattered if Naruto had confessed _his_ undying love for her.

It simply didn't matter.

Hinata was arranged to be married to someone else, all this time… and _it didn't matter._

It was a difficult pill to swallow, knowing that your thoughts and dreams were pointless; Your wants and wishes were in vain. But Hinata was strong, stronger than anyone knew, and she would get through it. She would simply have to.

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><p>If there was a defining feature of Konoha, it was how quickly news spread. When a prominent ninja returned from a mission, the entire town knew at once. When Ino got a new boyfriend, the whole town was adequately informed at an alarming rate.<p>

And when a famous clan heir was going to marry an equally well known clan heiress, news was sure to spread fast.

Shikamaru was convinced that this defining quality of Konoha was entirely dependent on a certain Yamanaka girl, but it was purely speculation.

In any case, talk of the upcoming nuptials spread like a wildfire and by the following day, Hinata couldn't walk down the street without being offered congratulations and condolences. She wasn't sure which ones to say 'Thank you,' to. She supposed it was only a matter of time before her friends and teammates found out. And that time was growing alarmingly close.

"Hinata-chan! Hinata-chan!"

The heiress panicked and jumped behind a large, nearby tree in an effort to hide from her pursuer.

But no one hides from Uzumaki Naruto. "Hinata-chan, why are ya hiding behind that tree?"

"O-oh, Naruto-kun. I-I was just ch-checking for… something."

"Do you need help?" he asked, inclining his head to look around the tree behind her.

She straightened and shook her head vigorously, willing her face to stop heating up. After all these years, Naruto could still turn her into a blundering pile of nervous goo.

"Well, I heard you're getting hitched to teme's big brother!" he patted her roughly on the shoulder, "Congratulations!"

Hinata was fidgeting nervously, pressing her fingertips together and shifting awkwardly between her feet, "O-oh, th-thank you, Naruto-kun."

"Man, I didn't even know you guys were into each other, ya know? But Itachi's kinda secretive like that." He grinned his intoxicating grin.

"Y-yeah." Hinata's father had made it crystal clear that everyone in Konoha was going to be informed that the Hyuuga heiress and the Uchiha heir had been quietly participating in a relationship for some time now and had decided to seal it with marriage. She was not to tell anyone otherwise. It was pointless, really, any ninja that knew to look underneath the underneath would know it was a simple case of clan politics.

Unfortunately, Naruto was not a member of that group.

"Well, If he's mean to you, let me know, Hinata-chan, and I'll beat him up for ya!" He pressed one fist into his other palm before waving cheerily and departing.

Hinata exhaled the breath she was holding and felt the oxygen rush to her head. Well, she supposed that wasn't so bad. She didn't faint. She didn't spill the beans and tell him it was an arranged marriage. And she didn't faint! The worst of that had to be over.

Except it wasn't, because she was on her way to train with her teammates, whom she had already had to blow off the day before. They were sure to interrogate her mercilessly, especially Kiba. She took a deep breath in preparation before entering the training grounds, only to assaulted by a very excited Kiba.

"Hinata! What happened yesterday?" he exclaimed. Apparently he was not in the gossip loop. "We were supposed to have dinner with Shikamaru and Choji!" And Ino, whom Kiba conveniently forgot to mention.

"I know," she said quietly, ducking her head to her chest.

"She is obviously distressed," Shino stated in an attempt to quell Kiba's misguided enthusiasm.

"Father required my presence in a meeting."

It was obvious to Shino she was withholding information, but he decided not to press the issue. Besides, he already knew the reason she was unable to attend their dinner - _He_ was in the loop.

"Oh," Kiba replied, "Clan crap."

The bug user cringed at his choice of words, but decided to mediate anyway, "Shall we begin training?"

Hinata nodded and settled back into a fighting pose. Her father had taken her off of the mission roster and relieved her of any clan duties and training until after the wedding. She felt that was hardly helpful. The last thing she wanted to do was sit around and do nothing. As such, she had decided to train with her team anyway.

They took up their usual pairs, Kiba would start by training with Akamaru, while Shino and Hinata had a light spar to get going.

"No kekkei genkai?" Shino inquired, shifting his head slightly so that his glasses caught the sunlight.

The heiress nodded once more and the bug user wasted no time before coming at her. She found that her training suffered enormously from her frayed emotions. She was unfocused, unmotivated, and most of all, unhappy. It didn't take a genius to figure out that something was wrong, and she was certain Shino was merely being kind by not facilitating an interrogation.

But the bug user had gotten six hits in on her already, and they had hardly begun sparring. She hated that feeling, weakness, but it was all she was made of at the moment. A simple hit to her shoulder brought her to the ground for the seventh time.

And she stayed there.

Kiba, who couldn't help but watch once he noticed the Hyuuga girl's lack of focus, ran over, "What's the matter, Hinata?"

"You should not pursue the issue. Why? Because Hyuuga clan business is none of our concern," Shino interrupted, in effort to save her.

"No, it's okay," she sat up and took a deep breath, fiddling with the end of her shirt. "Everyone will know soon enough," she paused, "Father says I must marry Uchiha Itachi."

"What?" Kiba was instantly outraged. He bared his teeth and his nostrils flared as he stared at her incredulously.

"It has been settled for many years now. Only I'm just finding out. The wedding is next week."

"Next week!"

Hinata wasn't sure whether to be relieved or upset when her cousin, Neji, showed up. On the one hand, she was glad to be saved from the humiliation and interrogation of her teammates. On the other, she couldn't help but notice they seemed upset at the news. They were the first. And perhaps she wanted to swim around a bit in their sympathy before returning to her demanding father and lovesick younger sister.

It hardly mattered, she didn't have a choice. Helpless, that's what she was. Stuck in the current of life, her choices made for her, her mind made up for her. Perhaps Neji had been right all those years ago. It was simply her fate.

"Hiashi-sama wishes to speak with you," the Hyuuga prodigy spoke as he reached a gloved hand down to assist her in rising to her feet.

She did try, but the cringe that settled across her pale features would not be tamed. How she loathed those words, and for the second day in a row.

"This is bull-shit!" Kiba exclaimed, still caught up in the moment.

His shouts sounded distant and muffled to Hinata, as if he was screaming into a pillow, as he continued to rant and rave. Shino attempted to calm him, as Neji proceeded to drag her away from the training grounds. When they were out of sight, and out of ear-shot, he paused and turned to her, his handsome features creasing into a concerned frown.

"I _am_ sorry," he spoke quietly, gently, as he looked into her eyes.

His voice seemed to snap her out of whatever trance she was in, and she blinked rapidly. "What?"

"I'm sorry," he repeated, speaking no more loudly than before, "For what your father is forcing upon you."

"You knew," she replied. It was a statement, not a question, and the only thing she could think of. How had everyone known but her?

He nodded barely, imperceptibly, "I deduced it some time ago. I couldn't be sure, of course." He paused to assess her reaction. She didn't seem surprised, just… sad. "Hinata, If I could do anything, you know that I would."

She nodded. Her and Neji's relationship had changed dramatically over the years. No doubt, partly due to Naruto's influence. Neji was a bit more kind and caring, if only with her, and if only in private. But she knew deep down he loved her like a sister, and would do anything in the world for her. And right now, the only thing she wanted to do was bury her face into his white Hyuuga robes and cry.

But she wouldn't, because as much as Neji cared, he never openly expressed it in a physical manner. She would only be pushed away, and she knew that. She wondered briefly how alike he and Itachi were. They were both prodigies, stoic, _cold_.

"I've worked with Itachi," his voice broke through her thoughts again, "He is intelligent and respectful. I can't imagine he would ever harm you."

Intelligent and respectful. If asked, not two words she would associate with the husband of her dreams. Caring and generous, perhaps. Or kind and loyal.

"Do you know why father wishes to speak with me?" she didn't want to talk about Itachi, so she decided to change the subject.

Neji shook his head solemnly, his dark locks swaying gently with the motion, "I was not informed."

* * *

><p>The resolve that had grounded Hinata earlier that day seemed to be slowly eroding. It seemed that no matter the effort she expended running away from thoughts of Itachi and the wedding, she was faced with the unavoidable truth. It was slammed into her being with such repetition she wanted to scream. Every conversation was centered on the one thing she wished to ignore.<p>

"You will be visiting the Uchiha compound tomorrow," Hiashi stated, from behind his oversized desk.

An, "I don't want to," threatened to escape her lips, but was valiantly contained. "Yes, father. For what purpose?"

"You are to meet with members of their clan. Uchiha Itachi's mother, in particular, wishes to speak with you. It is purely a social visit, but it is expected, and you will graciously attend." His air of finality, again, squelched any protest rising within her.

"Father," she began, her remaining courage diminishing by the second, "Will this marriage benefit the clans… f-for s-sure?"

He turned to regard her with something akin to curiosity, "You wish to please the clan elders and myself, do you not?"

"Yes, father."

"Then you must trust that we would not ask something of you were it not for good reason. Do you understand, Hinata?"

No, she most certainly _did not_ understand. She felt like she was simply a pawn in some larger game her clan was playing. But it was her future they were playing with, her entire life, and she felt like she deserved to know more. But pressing the issue would get her nowhere faster than on her father's bad side, and that was not a place she felt it wise to be at the moment.

So, instead, she told him what he wanted to hear, "Yes, father," before bowing and retreating to her bedroom. Perhaps she could gain some insight from her visit with the Uchiha's tomorrow.

* * *

><p><em>No ItaHina in that chapter, but you understand. :) <em>

_Big thanks to everyone that read, and bigger thanks to everyone that reviewed! Regretfully I can't respond to all of your reviews individually right now, like I normally do, but I hear you loud and clear! Comments and suggestions are gladly accepted, as are simple shout outs. Don't be afraid to drop me a line and let me know what you think, even if it's short and sweet. I love to hear from you! _

_...Next Chapter..._

_"The Meeting" _


	3. The Meeting

**Contrived Flaws**

_Ch 3: The Meeting_

* * *

><p>It was ironic, kind of, that they sent him to fetch her.<p>

Why, she couldn't imagine. One look at his face would tell anyone with half of an eye that he couldn't detest her any more if he tried.

He was not as gifted at schooling his emotions as the elder Uchiha. As Itachi's younger brother, he was seldom saddled with any type of responsibility. He was sheltered from clan politics and the pressure of being an Uchiha. He simply frolicked about and played ninja. In truth, it was Itachi that made sure of that. He did not want his younger sibling exposed to the type of life he lived, but Sasuke didn't know that. So instead, he came off as spoiled and arrogant. In fact, he _was_ spoiled and arrogant. He was certain that he was superior to everyone around him, and simply expected they would bow to his wishes. It was not exactly what his older brother had intended.

In any case, he was often wearing a scowl, but this… this was different. He was downright enraged at the Hyuuga heiress, and she hadn't even done anything. She stole a few glances at him as they walked along in silence. The space between them was already filled with the thick air of fury that was rolling off of the Uchiha. Hinata nervously fingered the edge of her coat, she was enormously pleased that her father had conceded on that one small thing: Her clothing. She didn't often express her disdain for dressing up in silky gowns and laborious kimonos, but she certainly felt it. She was a ninja, and female or not, she preferred to dress in clothing that allowed her to move without fear of toppling over. She was immensely more comfortable, in such an uncomfortable situation, than she would've been toddling along in a dress.

The weather seemed to agree with the incensed Uchiha's mood; It was ominously grey, with dark, wispy clouds that looked like giant fingers, scattered about the sky, mingling with larger, pregnant ones. The air was heavy with moisture already, and the wind was whipping the frigid winter air around. Hinata wondered how long the clouds would hold until they burst forth with rain. Mulling over the weather was all she could do to quell the nervousness that was rapidly building within her. She had no idea how the other Uchiha's would treat her, what they would want to talk about. She hoped desperately that she wouldn't embarrass herself or her family with her usual, less than ideal, behavior.

She was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't even realize Sasuke had stopped until he grabbed her roughly by the upper arm and whirled her around to face him. His top lip was twitching slightly, giving him the look of a snarling dog. Hinata's breath caught in her throat, as she suppressed a squeak.

"S-sasuke?" she forced her breath out in a word.

But the Uchiha continued staring at her in disgust, his nostrils flaring, his jaw flexing, his heavy breathing sending puffs of cold air into her face. "Listen closely, I will _not_ repeat myself. You will _not_, under any circumstances, marry my brother."

The heiress' eyes went wide as Sasuke invaded her space, his face mere inches from hers. His dark eyes bore a threatening look, as if he dared her to disagree. "I-i-i-i," she paused, trying to regain her composure. Unfortunately it had taken a hike, long ago. "I-i don't have a c-ch-choice."

The Uchiha shook her roughly with each word that escaped his tense jaw, "You. Will. Say. No."

Hinata's mind raced, fear consuming her thoughts. She was sure it wasn't entirely irrational, the Uchiha's were strong and intimidating. She swallowed hard, "Y-you're hurting me," she squeaked out.

Sasuke chose to squeeze her arm harder as his onyx eyes bore into her ivory ones, "Do you understand?" he ground out.

It thundered loudly, causing Hinata to jump, but the Uchiha didn't waver, in his gaze nor his grip.

Suddenly, Sasuke was yanked from behind, his grip leaving Hinata's arm; His presence leaving her space. Itachi slammed his younger brother roughly against one of the trees lining the walk to the Uchiha compound, his long, elegant fingers curving around Sasuke's neck. The fear was evident in the younger Uchiha's eyes at being pinned by his brother. It was no laughing matter. Itachi began to speak, his tone was unmistakably threatening, "Hinata is the heiress of a prominent clan, and my future wife, you will show her due respect," his grip tightened as he lifted his younger brother off the ground with ease, "Next time I will not be so lenient."

Hinata looked on in a mixture of shock and fascination as a single raindrop landed on her nose, and then her cheek. Itachi swiftly let go of his brother, who landed on the ground in a heap, coughing and spluttering even as he tossed out profanities.

The weather had gone from bad to worse in a matter of seconds. The skies had opened up and the icy rain was coming down in sheets as Itachi strode over to the Hyuuga heiress, "I apologize for my foolish little brother's behavior, it will not happen again, I can assure you." Hinata noticed that his voice was softer now, but still held an air of detachment, professionalism. He cocked his head slightly, "Are you injured?"

The heiress shook her head in the negative as she gently rubbed her arm. She was certain Sasuke's grip would leave a bruise, but that was the least of her worries at the moment as an unwelcome rush of heat flooded her face. She felt her heart rate quicken ever so slightly under the intense gaze of Uchiha Itachi. It was not the same accelerated heart rate she had felt only moments ago under his younger brother's stare. It was… different, and certainly unexpected.

"Then let us get inside," Itachi continued, motioning toward the compound with a single outstretched arm. It was only now that Hinata realized they were standing only a few meters from the entrance to the Uchiha main house.

* * *

><p>Hinata had never set foot inside of the Uchiha compound. She did not have a member of the family on her team, and had never worked with one, so she hardly had reason to. As she was ushered into the front entrance she was greeted by a startling realization: The Uchiha house was nothing like the Hyuuga one.<p>

Where the Hyuuga home was cold and detached, the Uchiha one was warm and inviting. Where the Hyuuga's looked untouched, the Uchiha's was worn and used. The furniture was a mixture of styles and colors, none of which seemed to match. The walls were adorned with pictures and paintings, many of which were of Sasuke and Itachi. The wooden floor was scuffed and scratched, instead of polished and buffed. The rugs faded and frayed, instead of tight and unused.

A smile unintentionally crept across Hinata's face as she took in the atmosphere. It was, in a word, homey. And entirely surprising!

"Oh my dear!" a voice exclaimed, "You're soaking wet!"

Hinata shivered slightly as she suddenly became aware of the state of her body. She was soaked in freezing rain, and the air inside the house was only slightly warmer than outside. A small woman, only slightly taller than Hinata appeared in the entrance. She was lovely, with dark hair and eyes, her bangs falling around her face. "Itachi!" she scolded, "How could you let this happen!"

The heiress smiled wider, "It's al-alright, just a little rain."

The woman turned her attention to Hinata, "My apologies, dear. I'm Itachi's mother, Mikoto. Come, let's get you dried off and warm. Can't have you getting sick, now can we?"

The Hyuuga girl allowed herself to be ushered away by the woman. She couldn't help but immediately like her; The feeling seemed to come naturally. Her voice and touch were soft and kind as she chattered away about the foolishness of her son. Hinata couldn't help but be reminded briefly of her own mother, who had died giving birth to Hanabi. It seemed at first that her father had held it against the younger Hyuuga, but Hinata never did. How could she? It was hardly anyone's fault, she thought. Some things just happened, but it wasn't the first time she longed for her mother's sweet smell and gentle touch. She was like Hinata in so many ways, and it seemed she was the only person who ever truly understood her.

Hinata forced those thoughts away as Mikoto led her into a large bedroom that appeared to be her own. After fishing around in the wardrobe for a few moments, she produced a plain blouse and skirt. Hinata was thankful that the woman appeared to be similar in size to herself.

"I'm afraid as the only woman around here, some of my clothing will have to do."

"Th-thank you, Mikoto-sama."

"Please dear, just call me Mikoto," the woman smiled warmly, handing her a very large, plush towel.

After directing her to a different room to dry off and change, Itachi's mother led her to the main room to get warm by the fireplace.

It turned out that this particular fireplace was the largest the heiress had ever seen. She was certain that at least six of her could stand inside of it. It was already full with a blazing fire of which the heat could be felt quite a few meters away. The heiress was directed to a large plush chair, and ordered to wait while the tea was fetched.

She glanced around, noting once more the lived in feeling of the home. She could imagine Mikoto and her family seated around the fire in the evenings, talking about their day. Or having dinner together, perhaps Sasuke and Itachi fighting over something.

It was something Hinata had never had, that togetherness. The feeling of being loved, the feeling of family. Ever since her mother died she always felt so alone in her home, so detached. Sure, her father and sister were there, and her cousin was only a short walk from the main house, but still, there wasn't that feeling of closeness. Everyone was always going their own way, doing their own thing. Never taking the time to converse with one another, to just _be. _Instead, everyone was always so serious and demanding. She shivered involuntarily at the thought of her father's cold nature.

"Oh dear, are you still chilled? Have some tea," she heard Mikoto's voice, followed by her form, a cup of tea outstretched in offering.

"Thank you," Hinata replied, noting that her initial apprehension had diminished, and she had no trouble speaking clearly with the woman.

The Uchiha matriarch sat in the chair opposite, that clearly did not match the one the Hyuuga was seated in. She sat properly, but not so stiff that a strong breeze would not sway her.

"Your home is lovely," Hinata spoke up, remembering her manners. She then shook her head and ducked her chin, "I'm so sorry, forgive me. I am Hyuuga Hinata." She laughed awkwardly, "You… you probably knew that, but I forgot," she paused, "To introduce myself."

Mikoto smiled that warm smile again, "Don't worry dear, it's just us girls," she waved her hand dismissively before addressing her earlier comment, "Not as fancy as the Hyuuga home, I would imagine."

"Not as stuffy," the heiress commented bravely.

Itachi's mother broke out in soft, melodic laughter, which reminded Hinata of her own mother's sweet laugh. Her reminiscence was rudely interrupted by the sharp slamming of the front door, causing both women to crank their heads around. Sasuke went stomping by, dripping not only water, but mud. His shoes, which he had not bothered to remove, were leaving grimy prints in his wake.

"Sasuke, honey, what happened?" Mikoto questioned, concern lacing her voice.

"Itachi," he spat out coldly, "Where is he?"

"I'm not sure, dear, but please try not to get mud all over the house."

The younger Uchiha simply growled before taking the stairs two at a time, treading heavily on them in an unnecessarily loud fashion as he went.

"Please excuse Sasuke, he's a bit temperamental at times."

Hinata gingerly sipped her tea before responding, "It's okay, I know how siblings are."

After a few minutes of meaningless chatter about her sister, the weather, and if she was warm now, Mikoto decided to broach the subject she had been summoned there for. "I suppose we should get down to business then, dear." The woman sat her tea down on the small table between them before leaning forward slightly and looking Hinata in the eye, "How do you feel about my eldest son? Do be honest, dear," she smiled reassuringly as she awaited a response.

The Hyuuga girl swallowed nervously, her earlier confidence flying out the metaphorical window, "I…I don't know." She fidgeted nervously with her hands before realizing that Mikoto was waiting on more of an answer, "Like everyone, I know _of_ Itachi-sama, but I do not _know_ him."

The woman nodded, "I suspected as much," she paused, a thoughtful look overtaking her features. "I know that this is all very sudden for you, dear, and that it it's not exactly by choice, but let me be the first to tell you that I think you are far too sweet and kind for my eldest son. None the less, I will be more than happy to welcome you into our family."

Hinata couldn't help the bittersweet feeling at hearing those words. She felt like she was gaining a real, honest-to-goodness family in Mikoto, but she was also gaining a husband. A very cold, detached - not unlike everyone already in _her_ family - husband. The heiress forced a thank you, prompting Mikoto to speak again.

"Itachi can be… difficult at times, but he is a good man, and I hope that you will see that."

The Hyuuga girl nodded, and tried desperately to smile, but instead her face twisted into a bit of a grimace. She suddenly felt the warmth of Mikoto's hand on her shoulder, "I know it's a lot to take in, dear. I will do my best to ease your transition."

A lone tear slid down Hinata's face and dripped off the end of her chin, "Thank you. Itachi-sama and Sasuke-kun are very lucky."

The woman chuckled quietly, "Try telling them that."

This tugged a smile out of the Hyuuga girl as she delicately wiped the moisture off of her face. She glanced up at Mikoto's face, her features were soft, and Hinata bit her lip. She knew what she wanted to ask, but whether it was appropriate or not was still in question.

Well, she knew it was inappropriate, but this woman, Itachi's mother, had made her feel like they were already old friends. She unconsciously edged closer to her seat, she was almost certain she could get by with it.

"What's on your mind, dear?"

The heiress smiled softly, amused that this woman who was a stranger only a short while ago, could read her so well, "I-i was wondering if you know the r-reason for uniting the t-two clans?"

Mikoto shook her head slightly, an apologetic look finding its way onto her features, "I'm sorry. Of course you would think being the head's wife I would, but Fugaku tells me nothing of his plans concerning the clan, and I learned long ago not to push him in that regard."

"O-of course, I'm sorry for asking."

The woman placed a kind hand on Hinata's arm, "Don't be, dear. It's understandable."

* * *

><p>Unfortunately, Mikoto had decided it would be a nice idea to invite Sasuke down to join them. Whether this was for Sasuke's benefit, or Hinata's, was unclear, but the Hyuuga girl thought it was a terrible idea. She, of course, kept this bit of information to herself.<p>

The younger Uchiha looked and behaved as though he was being forced at kunai-point to be polite. He was scowling, in between glares - when he thought his mother wasn't looking, of course - and his arms were perpetually crossed, in a rather defensive manner, across his chest. His replies to his mother's questions were short and sharp, never longer than a word spat between clenched teeth.

But Hinata tried, after all, she was practically raised to deal with these types of situations. She was trained to play the game, to be polite. She was trained to pretend that the other person was the most exceptional person in the room, no matter how they were treating her.

She was trained, yes, but her execution left a lot to be desired. Instead, she came off as weak and startled, bearing a deer-in-the-headlights look whenever Sasuke would catch her gaze. Her polite attempts at conversation were riddled with stammering and downright stumbling over her words as she tried to pretend that the young Uchiha was not sending her death glares every few minutes.

It was only when Mikoto was called away, that he became interested in talking. "Remember what I said," he threatened, brandishing a kunai from his hip pouch and twirling it between his fingers. It was obvious he was trying to look menacing, but he simply couldn't hack it next to his older brother. None the less, Hinata was mildly disturbed.

"Don't be such a twit," came Itachi's voice. He poked his younger brother in the forehead as he passed in front of him. Sasuke retaliated by slicing at him with his kunai, but Itachi easily caught his brother's wrist and gave him a pointed look before releasing it.

"My mother has sent me to tell you that she regrets that she has other matters to attend to, but has enjoyed her time with you," he said, turning his attention now to the heiress.

"Tch, stupid old woman," Sasuke muttered, picking at the wooden arm of the chair he was seated in, with his weapon.

Hinata watched closely as Itachi's jaw tightened. He seemed highly irritated at his younger sibling's comment, but chose to keep it to himself.

"P-please tell her thank you, and that I-i enjoyed speaking with her," Hinata felt the nervous bubbling of her stomach multiply at the prospect of being stuck in this room with two stoic Uchiha brothers. She let out a laugh, which came out as a single, high pitched note, "I-i guess I sh-should be going the…then." She jolted at the sudden clash of thunder that sounded off.

Itachi's gaze remained fixed on the heiress as a burst of lightening flashed through the windows, "I'm afraid that won't be possible." The timing of the lightning, which danced menacingly across his face, and his words, was impeccable.

Hinata blinked, and briefly wondered if she had gotten herself trapped in one of those horror movies that Neji liked to make her watch. She then mentally scolded herself for being so silly. "W-what?" she voiced her concerns aloud.

"Your father would not appreciate if I sent you out in such a winter storm," he explained, "You will remain here until it passes." Without waiting for her reply, and certainly not her consent, the Uchiha fetched a book from another room and gracefully positioned himself in a plush chair slightly farther from the fire.

"Well, I'm outta here," Sasuke chimed before stalking out of the large room.

The heiress gripped the arms of her chair tightly, she could not think of anything more awful than being stuck inside a house with her fiance at that moment. She knew attempting to converse with him would be disastrous and he hadn't even offered her anything to read. She fleetingly considered an escape attempt, and then smiled bitterly at the thought of feeling like a prisoner. But that's what she was right? She was simply told what to do every which way she went, with hardly a say in the matter. In fact, she would probably have more choices if she _were_ a prisoner. She stared numbly into the fire, watching its flames flicker and dance, a few sparks breaking free and escaping forever. She supposed that maybe it was her fault. She had always been so undecisive as a child, always unsure. She hadn't minded so much back then having her decisions made for her. It was a huge weight lifted off of her shoulders, having the choices taken away. And maybe everyone had gotten so used to ordering her around that they forgot that she had a mind of her own. But then again, she was an heiress, and she supposed that's what she was around for: To be used to further her clan, and to use others to that end, as well. She was only glad Hanabi would be spared such a fate.

"Are you hungry?" a smooth voice broke through her thoughts. It was quiet and demanding at the same time, causing Hinata to marvel at such a combination.

She glanced up, only to see Itachi still seated, his face in his book. "Huh?" was the only intelligible word that would come out of her mouth.

The Uchiha heir's gaze jumped up to meet hers, "I _said_, 'Are you hungry?'"

"O-oh, no… no thank y-you. I-I'm f-fine."

She instantly regretted her decision as Itachi gave a "Very well," and resumed reading his book. She wondered if he was ignoring it, or simply oblivious to the blatant tension she felt. She settled for nervously examining each of her fingernails in great detail. They were still cut and polished to perfection from her birthday. How things had changed since she first awoke that fateful morning.

She knew she wanted to change her mind, but was unsure if she could muster up the courage to do so. After all, she had only initiated conversation with the Uchiha once, and hadn't that gone well? In the end, it took her five tries before she managed; Five 'Itachi-sama's' died in her throat before the sixth one made it out.

This had not gone unnoticed by the heir, and even as he appeared engrossed in his reading, he was observing her closely. He found that he was slightly amused at her discomfort, for she could easily take charge. She was a guest in his home, an heiress. She could practically order him about and he could do little in protest, but instead she was sitting there, fidgeting around like a trapped animal.

"Itachi-sama," it came out as almost an exclamation due to the fact that she forced it out of herself. She immediately shrank back at the sound of her own voice, "I-i am a little h-hungry now."

The elder Uchiha forced back a smirk as he laid his book facedown on the table in an effort to hold his place.

* * *

><p>Eating with her fiance, she found, was no less uncomfortable than sitting in a room with him. Silence still plagued them, and she found herself slightly annoyed at what a ridiculously neat eater he was.<p>

Sure, she was well mannered and could eat the most laborious dishes with grace and dignity, but Itachi, he made eating a sandwich look like an art form.

Of course, as luck would have it, all of her grace and dignity had washed away with the storm, and she was left with little more than her hunger and rapidly failing fine motor skills. Her hands trembled in a nervous mess as she brought her sandwich up to take a bite. She feared that she would miss her mouth altogether if she didn't quell her shaking, and soon. Small, ladylike bites, she reminded herself, as the trip from the plate to her lips seemed to drag on endlessly.

Just when she was surely home free, thunder boomed outside, causing her already frayed nerves to fire in excitement. She jerked and her sandwich ended up back on her plate. Attempting to not look like a complete fool - which she suspected was already a lost cause – she cleared her throat and pushed a piece of hair behind her ear.

"Y-your mother is v-very ni-nice," she managed, wringing her hands under the table before she prepared to attempt her sandwich again.

"Indeed," was the only reply she received.

Hinata let out a shaky sigh before grabbing her sandwich in one swift motion and shoving a great deal of it in her mouth.

If Itachi was shocked at her behavior, it didn't show. He was content to eat in silence as he marveled at the heiress' antics. She was certainly not like any other girl he had ever known, that was certain. Still, he was not so sure she was wife material, certainly not head-of-clan material. Yes, her father had been grooming her for just that her entire life, but it seemed she did not fall so easily into her role. And even though he, himself, had been ensuring her protection much of his life, he had never taken any interest in her beyond that.

Even still, he could see something in her, something he admired. Heart.

She displayed possibly the most pure, unadulterated kindness he had ever witnessed and maybe, just maybe, that would fit right in with his plans.

* * *

><p><em>*Sigh* I did the final little tweaky editing in the doc manager here (Won't do <em>that_ again!) and it messed up when I saved and I had to go back and do it again. I might've missed something, because I didn't patiently read through it again, one can only do that so many times. Instead I just tried to remember what I fixed, so hopefully I didn't miss anything tragic. _

_For those of you that were wondering about something in Itachi's POV, I tried to give a little glimpse here and there either by his behavior or thoughts, but I don't want to give too much away just yet. Hopefully it's enough to satisfy you for now! :)_

_Oh, and... I was going to make Mikoto a real witch, but I changed my mind. I hope this was the right decision! :S_

_Thanks again for reading and the reviews! They're excellent motivation! Keep 'em coming!_

_If all goes as planned, Chapter Five should be the wedding, but it's not written out yet so we'll see. _

_Cheers!_

_...Next Chapter..._

_"The Rabbit-Shaped Brownies" _


	4. The RabbitShaped Brownies

**Contrived Flaws**

Ch. 4: _The Rabbit-Shaped Brownies_

* * *

><p>There was no doubt about it, Sasuke and Naruto had a curious relationship.<p>

Naruto unabashedly viewed Sasuke as his brother and would do anything for him - including die - in a heartbeat. But, he was also his eternal rival, somewhat like Gai and Kakashi, and strived to outdo him on a daily basis.

Sasuke, on the other hand, was far less expressive. He, too, would do most anything for Naruto, but would never admit it. He was also easily egged into competition with the loudmouth ninja, but would vehemently protest any comments about being his rival. Anyone with eyes could see it, though.

What they both openly admitted, however, was the disdain they felt for one other, both claiming the other to be nearly insufferable. It seemed to be a case of protesting too much. There were even whispers floating around that the two were in a relationship.

But they were just that, rumors. In reality, Sasuke had it bad for a certain pink-haired medic. Unfortunately she had long since outgrown her crush on him, sometime back when he thought being an arrogant asshole was a good way to impress a girl. Nowadays, she preferred to comment on how handsome his older brother was. This, of course, irritated Sasuke to no end. And maybe Sakura enjoyed that, just a little bit. But who could blame her?

Still, the odd pair spent an inordinate amount of time together. The knuckleheaded ninja even managed to rope his dark haired friend into participating in some questionable activities. Most thought the youngest Uchiha far too intelligent to fall prey to Naruto's antics, far too brilliant to participate in his pranks. The truth of the matter, however, was that wherever there was a giggling Naruto, a smirking Sasuke usually wasn't too far behind.

Of course, Uchiha's are entirely too dignified to find such endeavors anything more than mildly amusing. Though Naruto had long since convinced himself that somewhere deep inside, the stoic Uchiha was downright guffawing.

Somewhere deep, _deep _inside.

In any case, despite their oxymoronic relationship, Naruto was usually the first person that Sasuke would seek out if a situation arose.

"Hey dobe," Sasuke flicked his teammate on the back of the head, "I need your help with something."

Naruto chuckled triumphantly, "You need _my_ help?"

The Uchiha crossed his arms over his chest, "Are you going to help me or not, loser?"

"Fine, teme, what is it?"

"I need to break up my brother's engagement."

Naruto frowned, his forehead wrinkling with signs of confusion, "To Hinata-chan? Why?"

"Because, stupid, she doesn't want to marry him," Sasuke answered moodily.

"Tch, course she does," the kyuubi container said dismissively, "Why else would she marry him?"

The Uchiha resisted the urge to roll his eyes, "You're so naive. She's being _forced._"

"Nah, she would've said. I saw her yesterday."

Sasuke sighed heavily, "When have I lied to you?"

The blonde screwed his face up in concentration, the tip of his tongue peeking out between his lips, "Oh! What about th-"

"It was a rhetorical question, stupid."

Naruto sighed with exaggerated defeat, "Fine, teme, you know I'll help."

Sasuke looked decidedly victorious as he rubbed his gloved hands together, "Okay, here's the plan…"

* * *

><p>Training with her team was the only escape Hinata had. It brought a comforting sense of normalcy with it that she desperately needed. A welcome escape from being primped and molded and lectured. Her teammates were surprisingly supportive and had more or less agreed to not bring up anything Uchiha related, which honestly, Hinata couldn't have been more relieved about.<p>

Unfortunately, some things were simply inescapable.

Hinata and her teammates were relaxing after an intense workout, as they often did. Kiba laying on Akamaru, Shino propped against a tree with his knees pulled up to his chest, and Hinata sprawled across the half-dead grass. They were all silent, content to enjoy one another's company as their heart rates returned to normal and they felt the satisfying ache of training creep into their muscles. An air of contentment blanketed them; The Hyuuga heiress with her eyes closed, taking in the sweet scent of the moist earth mingled with exertion, Kiba absentmindedly running his fingers through his nin-dog's fur, and Shino twirling a twig between his fingers.

It was all incredibly peaceful and relaxing and Hinata couldn't help but feel a sense of happiness wash over her as she opened her eyes to watch the clouds march across the wintry skies.

"We have company," Shino declared in a monotone.

The heiress bolted upright and glanced around a few moments before she saw a certain Uchiha emerge into view. His shoulders were slumped in their usual manner as he strode toward them, his hands shoved deeply into his pockets.

Hinata got to her feet and was furiously dusting herself off as their visitor halted in front of her. "Hinata," he began, dropping the honorific as usual, "I was wondering if I could have a word with you... _alone._" He shot a pointed look at her teammates before returning his gaze to meet hers.

Shino and Kiba, having heard the entire story of Hinata's adventures with the Uchiha boys, were already up and at her sides. The Inuzuka boy took a step forward, Akamaru joining him, "If you wanna say something, just say it."

Sasuke remained unimpressed, "Down boy," he smirked.

Kiba growled and lunged forward, stopping only when he slammed into Shino's arm. He didn't look entirely pleased with not getting to attack the Uchiha, but he settled for staring him down as Akamaru growled quietly at his side. Shino adjusted his glasses, causing a flash of light to cross the lenses.

"Tch, fine," Sasuke pulled his hands out of his pockets to cross them over his chest, "I just came to apologize, Hinata, for my behavior the other day."

Hinata, who had yet to speak, did little to suppress her shock, "R-r-really?"

The Uchiha had the presence of mind to look slightly sheepish as he averted his gaze off to the left, "Yeah I… I guess I was just concerned that you would come between my brother and I."

The heiress' features softened as she glanced nervously at the ground, "O-oh, I u-understand."

"And besides, I can see that you'll be good for Itachi."

"Wh-what?"

Sasuke smiled softly, and Hinata couldn't help but think what a beautiful sight it was. If only the boy would smile like that more often. "Well, I know my brother, and I can tell… _things._"

Hinata was clearly hooked as she took a small step forward, "Like wh-what?"

The Uchiha let out a breathy scoff, "I can't tell _everyone. _My brother's feelings are not gossip for the entire village."

The Hyuuga girl glanced to each of her teammates in turn before speaking, "I think I-i'll be headed home now."

Kiba was quick to speak up, "Hinata I-."

"I'll be alright," she insisted with a bright smile.

"I'll walk you," Sasuke said in an oddly cheerful voice.

Hinata did well to contain herself until they were out of earshot of anyone, "Wh-what did y-you w-want to… t-to tell me?"

The Uchiha glanced around in a conspiratorial manner before throwing his arm around the Hyuuga girl's shoulders and drawing her closer to his side, "I think Itachi has… well, I think he might have some sort of feelings for you."

"F-for m-m-me? R-really?"

"Yeah, well, I mean he was going on about you to mother yesterday and then I heard him mumbling something about wanting you to call him 'Itachi-_kun_' in his sleep, and I don't know…" He paused to let his arm fall from her shoulders and shrug, "He's never been like this about anyone."

Hinata looked too astonished to speak as she walked along numbly in the direction of her house.

Sasuke decided to forge on, "Anyway, I wanted to make it up to you by helping you out with him."

The heiress, who was still attempting to overcome her surprise, looked slightly wary, "O-okay."

The Uchiha stopped walking and turned to face her, a serious look overcoming his features, "Itachi likes rabbit-shaped brownies."

A few beats passed as Hinata's brain processed the sentence, then double checked it for accuracy. It still wasn't convinced, "H-he likes wh-what?"

"Rabbit-shaped brownies," he answered, with the utmost conviction. "They're his favorite sweet. Mother used to make them for him when we were little."

"O-okay?" she was clearly still confused.

"You bake, right Hinata?"

"Well… y-yes."

"Great. You should bake my brother some brownies," he squeezed her shoulders into his with a single arm, "He'll love it. He should be training with his team all day at our private training grounds. I'll be sure and let the guard know you're coming."

"Oh-okay," Hinata answered weakly. She felt like she was in a whirlwind of confusion, too stunned to argue, or even form a proper response. Was he serious? About Itachi, about brownies, about anything?

Sasuke gave her a wave before they parted ways and he set out for his own house, leaving a very bewildered Hyuuga in his wake.

* * *

><p>To say that Hinata was nervous would be the understatement of the century. She was downright terrified as she clutched the wrapped up brownies to her chest so tightly that her knuckles were turning white. She let out a shaky breath as she mentally chastised herself for being so anxious.<p>

What was there to be nervous about? Sasuke said his brother had some kind of feelings for her and that he loved brownies, and she _did_ go through the trouble of cutting them into rabbit shapes. Although she wasn't sure what kind of rabbits his mother used for hers, but Hinata had decided to go with gingerbread-man-type rabbits, with arms and legs and ears.

She just had to be strong and confident. She could do this!

No, it was ridiculous. She couldn't do it.

She mentally warred with herself as she stood at the gates of the Uchiha compound. What if Sasuke was lying? It certainly wouldn't be the first time, though he _had_ seemed pretty sincere. The urge to wring her hands together was strong, unfortunately there was a package in her hands. She shifted back and forth on her feet as she tried to come to a decision.

She took a final determined breath and practically charged at the gate, lest she change her mind at the last minute. As promised, the guard was expecting her, and he kindly directed her toward the training area that Itachi was currently occupying.

As she approached the area, she noticed that it was littered with training dummies and targets, while the ground was more than a little torn up. Itachi and his team were standing some distance away, seemingly discussing something.

Silently hoping her voice wouldn't betray her, she spoke up, "Itachi-k-kun!"

The Uchiha heir, who had already noticed her presence some time ago, did not move from his position as he greeted her, "Hinata-sama."

She trudged on until she reached the group and nervously thrust her package at the Uchiha with a shaky smile, "F-for y-you, Itachi-kun."

There was a visible tightening of Itachi's jaw as he accepted the gift. "That's very kind of you, Hinata-sama."

"Aww, go on, open it Itachi!" one of his team members prodded. It was only then that Hinata seemed to notice the onlookers. She recognized one of his teammates, a certain lazy Nara boy who had already used the brief interruption to gaze up at the clouds. The other two she was not acquainted with.

"Yeah, Itachi-_kun_, open it," another chimed in.

Ever the Uchiha, Itachi looked unimpressed as he gingerly unwrapped the package to reveal a plate of chocolatey gooey bunnies. Upon catching sight of them, two of his teammates let out snickers, while the third was smart enough not to get involved.

Hinata gazed hopefully into his dark eyes as he tore them from the animal themed confections to look at her. "That's very kind of you," he repeated in a stilted tone that was in clear disagreement with the calm expression on his face.

"Y-you d-d-don't like th-them?" the heiress was instantly a very shocking shade of pink as she resisted the urge to bolt the scene. Not because she was horrified at his reaction, but because she had gone out on a limb, and all she had managed to do was embarrass herself… _with her future husband._ It didn't take a genius to see that he didn't like her offer.

Itachi tactfully ushered her away from his teammates as they conjectured about other shapes he liked his sweets in.

"I'm sorry Itachi-k-kun," she squeaked out, trying desperately not to dissolve into a puddle of tears.

"Please, Hinata-sama," he cleared his throat, "Call me Itachi-san."

She nodded meekly and stared down at the ground as she resisted the urge to press her fingertips together.

Itachi took a calming breath as he attempted to rein in his irritation. "I appreciate the gesture," he began, waiting on her to meet his gaze, "However, in the future, I would be grateful if you would not interrupt my training." His voice was quiet, but had a distinctly stern edge.

"O-oh, I'm s-sorry, Sasuke-kun s-said-"

"My brother put you up to this?" he questioned, hardly noticing that he cut her off.

She nodded as she watched the barest hint of a smirk spread across the elder Uchiha brother's face. It was then, that for the first time, Hinata took in the sight before her. Itachi's flushed skin was glistening with perspiration, but upon closer inspection had tiny particles of dirt stuck to it, indicating his intense training. His hair was tied back higher and tighter than usual, his headband barely containing the rogue bangs that were spilling over the top and sides. The Hyuuga girl couldn't help but notice he looked so much more… normal than usual. He had always seemed so untouchable, almost unreal. But seeing him there, mussed up and sweaty, he seemed like an honest to goodness human being.

His voice broke through her intense thoughts, "Will you do something for me, Hinata-sama?"

"S-sure," she replied, obviously quite puzzled as to what was going on.

Itachi nodded once before striding off towards the main house. He returned several minutes later with a piece of paper and a basket. He retrieved the brownies, and after wrapping them back up, he placed them in the basket, along with the paper. "My brother has fooled you," he stated bluntly, "However, with your assistance, we will give him his own gift." He carefully gauged her reaction before continuing, "All that is required of you is to deliver this to the hospital. Specifically to Haruno-san. Tell her that you could not locate Sasuke, and you would appreciate if she delivered this to him."

Hinata only managed a nod as she took the proffered basket and gripped it tightly.

With an unwavering gaze, Itachi continued, "I apologize for my brother's behavior. He is foolish and believes that as a married man I will no longer have the time for him. He is merely jealous, but mostly harmless."

The heiress laughed nervously, "Th-there's nothing t-to be jealous ab-about."

"Precisely."

* * *

><p>Haruno Sakura was a nice girl, and very respectful, but if she was completely honest with herself, Ino had rubbed off on her quite a bit.<p>

It was for this reason that she simply couldn't _help_ herself, and she just _had_ to know what the note in the basket said. And what was _in _the basket, for that matter.

She darted her eyes around with a mischievous grin on her face before plucking the paper from the basket and carefully unfolding it.

_Little brother,_

_ I know these are your favorite._

_Enjoy,_

_ 'Tachi_

Sakura snickered as she tossed the note aside in favor of the mysterious thing in the basket. In the few seconds it took her to unwrap it, her mind scanned through the many possibilities of what it could be.

None of them were even _close_ to rabbit-shaped brownies.

"Oh my Kami! This is priceless!" she squealed before erupting into a fit of giggles.

* * *

><p>Needless to say, Sasuke was <em>not<em> a happy camper when a tittering pink-haired medic interrupted his spar with Naruto.

"My, my Sasuke-_kun, _I didn't think you liked sweets," she taunted, waving the basket in front of him.

"I don't," he growled, "What's this?"

She shrugged with faux innocence, "I don't know, Hinata-chan said it was for you." She rocked back and forth on the balls of her feet in an attempt to contain her excitement as she waited for him to take the gift.

He put on an exasperated look as he snatched the basket from her grip and plopped it unceremoniously on the ground. After retrieving and reading the note, he ripped it in half and let out an animalistic noise. He didn't need to open the package inside, he already knew what it was.

But Naruto didn't.

"Open it, open it!" he cried as he practically bounced around Sasuke in excitement. When the Uchiha boy didn't move fast enough for him, Naruto took it upon himself to open the package and reveal the rabbit-shaped brownies.

"They're from your brother," Sakura added unnecessarily, mostly for Naruto's benefit, "He said they were your favorite." She could no longer suppress her giggles and they came back in full force as Naruto proceeded to dance around singing, "Teme likes bunnies!"

Sasuke was _not_ amused.

"I didn't know you called your brother ''Tachi,'" Sakura managed in-between her giggles, "That's so cute!"

The younger Uchiha ground his teeth together in frustration. Oh yes, he would definitely have his revenge.

"You and the girls are doing something with Hinata tonight, aren't you?" he inquired, changing the subject with ease.

The pink-haired girl recovered from her laughter and smoothed her hair down as she spoke, "Yeah, we're giving her a makeover and taking her out. She's kinda stressed about the wedding." Realization seemed to hit her all at once and she gasped, "Speaking of which, I'd better get going," she added before darting off.

"Hey, teme, can I have your brownies?" Naruto inquired. He had apparently gotten bored with his song already.

"Whatever, dobe, but it's time for your part of the plan. Remember what to do?"

The blonde nodded as he shoved two brownies in his mouth, "Imf fremefbmerf."

* * *

><p>Hinata had protested quite a bit, but the girls were having none of it. She just wanted to hide out in her room and replay the scene between herself and Itachi over and over until it stopped seeming so utterly mortifying.<p>

But Ino was _very _persuasive. And Sakura wasn't too bad either. Come to think of it, Tenten could be kind of pushy too.

How she came to have such aggressive friends she would never know, but they had assured her that a night out would make her feel better. Neji even agreed to cover for her should an issue arrive with her father. So how could she refuse? The answer was clear, she couldn't. But since when did she have control over anything anyway?

After Ino mercilessly dug through her closet, incidentally making a huge mess, she had declared that Hinata did not own a single piece of 'fun' clothing. Hinata wasn't sure what 'fun' clothing looked like, but if Ino was any indication it was very chilly to wear and left little to the imagination.

With a collective sigh they all left for Ino's place, heiress in tow.

Two hours, several changes of clothing, and lots of makeup later, they were ready for a night on the town. For all their hard work they were rewarded with a gorgeous, but exceptionally uncomfortable Hinata.

"Come on, Hina, you look sexy!" Ino persuaded, when the heiress refused to leave the apartment dressed that way. Ino had a thing for nicknames, Sakura was 'Sak,' Tenten was 'Ten,' and Hinata was 'Hina.'

Of course none of the nicknames Hinata was currently thinking of for the blonde-haired girl were very nice.

"Smokin'!" Sakura chimed as Tenten added nods and noises of approval.

Hinata pressed her fingertips together, "But what if my father finds out?"

"He won't," Sakura said confidently.

"What if Itachi-sama sees me?"

Tenten spoke up this time, "Then maybe he'll realize what a lucky bastard he is and stop being such an emotionless prick!"

Three pairs of eyes turned to her, "Having Neji issues?" Ino questioned.

The weapon's mistress huffed, "When am I not?"

The blonde and the pink haired girls laughed as they agreed that Neji was generally a stuck up ass, no offense to Hinata. Ino adding, of course, that he was completely gorgeous, and that made up for it.

The snowy-eyed heiress simply hoped they had forgotten about forcing her to wear hooker clothes on their outing. Seeing the distressed look on her friend's face, Ino sighed heavily and gave in. She rummaged around in her closet once more before producing a much more modest outfit, "But I promise, no one in the club is going to be looking at you wearing _this_."

Hinata all but shrieked at the mention of a club. "O-oh, I couldn't. I just want t-to have dinner or something, to take my mind off of everything."

"But this is your bachelorette party!" Ino argued, "You're supposed to go wild and have fun!"

* * *

><p>It took a great deal of convincing, a <em>great<em> deal, but in the end, the girls were successful.

Ino finally conceded and they decided to do what Hinata wanted, as it _was_ her night. They let her wear what she wanted to wear, and go where she wanted to go.

And that was how they ended up walking the streets of Konoha, arms linked in arms, tummies full and spirits high, giggling about a Lee-centered story that Tenten was telling.

"Hinata-chan! Hinata-chan!" Naruto wailed, running down the street toward them, "Hinata…chan?" The kyuubi container halted and cleared his throat, his cheeks turning a charming shade of pink as he caught sight of the heiress dressed in her cute lavender dress.

"N-n-n-naruto-kun," she stumbled over his name as she, too, took in the sight before her. The junchuuriki was evidently dressed up for something. He had a white dress shirt on that fit him quite tastefully, a few buttons undone at the top, paired with black dress pants and shoes. His blonde hair was messy from running, but looked as though it could've been styled that way.

He grinned at her, his blue eyes shining brightly, "Hinata-chan, you look different!"

Sakura slapped her blonde teammate in the head, "Pretty, baka, the word you're looking for is pretty."

As far as Hinata was concerned, he may as well have told her she was the most stunning thing he had ever lain eyes on. She was already a deep crimson color and she swayed slightly as she forced her brain to produce a reply, "Th-th-"

Naruto cut her off, "Hey, I wanted to talk to you."

The three other girls took that as their cue, "Don't break her," Ino commented as they motioned to a sweet shop down the street, indicating that's where they'd be.

Hinata was a little too stunned to realize she was going to be left alone with her crush, until it was too late.

"So, Hinata-chan, you look really nice. I mean," he rubbed the back of his neck, "pretty."

The heiress was certain that if he complimented her again, she was going to explode. Or faint.

"Anyway, I wanted to tell you that… that I… I really like you Hinata-chan." Well, he certainly got right to the point. The blonde paused and shuffled his feet in the dirt, "I've liked you for a while actually, I was just too nervous to say, I guess. I-"

_Thud! _

"Hinata-chan?" He glanced curiously down at the girl laying on the ground. "Aw man!"

* * *

><p>Hinata slowly opened her eyes and blinked before bringing her hand to her head. It was throbbing painfully, making her wince. She shifted slightly, noting that she was still in her purple dress, before the memories came flooding back.<p>

She had fainted.

She pressed the heels of her hands into her eyes until she saw shapes dancing in the darkness. When she opened them and blinked, she realized she was not in her own room. But where was she? She looked around the room, taking in the spartan nature of it. There was a bed, which she was in, a moderately sized desk and lamp, some bookshelves stuffed to the max, and a lone picture hanging on the wall. It was of the Uchiha brothers.

It was then that she heard voices.

"That was very cruel, little brother," one voice said. The heiress could sense the irritation in his tone.

"Like I care," the other replied, with clear indifference.

"I will teach you that other's emotions are not for you to toy with."

His response was merely the slamming of a door, which made Hinata jump slightly.

She had barely recovered when the door to the room she was presently occupying opened slowly to reveal none other than Uchiha Itachi. "You are awake," he stated, reminding Hinata far too much of her father's penchant for stating the obvious.

He lingered by the door for a moment, looking as if he was attempting to collect himself. She could see, however, as he stepped forward into the light, that his features were stern, and his eyes were intense as they settled on her.

She shifted uncomfortably as she set up and began blurting out stuttered apologies. For what, she wasn't sure, but if his look was any indication, she had _something_ to be sorry for.

"Quiet," the elder Uchiha brother demanded. She noticed the telltale tightening of his jaw again, indicating that he was irritated with something, or someone. She could only hope that it wasn't her.

"I am disappointed in you," he began, with an air of authority not unlike her father, "You are the heiress of one of the most powerful clans in the village and the future matriarch of another. You are to be wed in one of the most important days of not only your life, but the lives of all the present and future clan members in a mere day and a half. How could you behave so foolishly?" His tone was steady and almost quiet, but Uchiha's did need to raise their voices in order to get their point across. Their dark eyes and serious looks were frightening enough.

Indeed Hinata was quite disturbed, but she was also equally confused. What had she done again? She had fainted, yes. Was that considered foolish? And who was he to be admonishing her, anyhow? He wasn't her husband yet, and he certainly wasn't her father. He was merely an acquaintance that she had hardly even spoken to until a few days ago. Something rose from deep within her. Courage? Or perhaps it was imprudence. But it would not be tamed. She was fed up with being ordered around and scolded. She was on the receiving end of enough of that from her father.

"I'm sorry?" she said evenly, but her tone was not apologetic this time, nor was it shy. If anything, it was incredulous. "Who the hell do you think you are, Uchiha!" Mentally, she was stunned at hearing her own voice. It sounded so sure, and it spurred her confidence further. She flung the blanket aside, threw her legs over the edge of the bed and stood up in one swift motion as she spoke, "I appreciate your help, but I'm not going to sit here and listen to this."

Her authoritative air was sapped as she stood and swayed, the rush of blood to her head causing a momentary lack of sight and balance. She stumbled forward, only to be caught by a pair of strong arms.

In the short moment that her vision was still gone, and Itachi was holding on to her, it felt as though her senses were intensified.

She could hear her hammering pulse, as her circulation struggled to catch up to her posture. She was aware of Itachi's grip on her shoulders, strong but forgiving. She could smell his scent, faint but uniquely his. She could feel his breath tickling her cheek. It was merely an instant, but her brain registered every sound, smell, and sensation and filed it away.

Alarmed at the intensity of the moment, she blinked her vision back into place and pushed away from her rescuer with renewed vigor, "L-let me g-go!" She wriggled free of his grip but was disappointed to learn that her steady voice had vanished.

She huffed as she pulled her dress back into place and smoothed it down unnecessarily. Itachi merely stared at her curiously as she did so, but he did not say a word.

The consequences of her actions were hitting her with full force and she suddenly found herself unable to look up and meet her future husband's gaze. She felt justified in her anger, but perhaps she had overreacted.

How was it that no matter how she behaved Uchiha Itachi managed to make her feel like an idiotic young girl.

She continued to pick at her clothing as she grappled for her next action. "Where are m-my shoes?" she questioned quietly, breaking the long standing silence after her episode. She glanced up to find that the elder Uchiha brother was still staring at her with an unreadable expression.

After what felt like an eternity of standing there awkwardly in his room, Itachi spoke, "I feel it is my duty to inform you that my brother has played a prank on you and enlisted the help of one Uzumaki-san." His tone was professional, as if he was relaying a mission report.

Hinata was still reeling from the past few minutes but managed to process the information none the less, "N-naruto-kun… was lying?" The realization hit her full force a moment later causing her legs to wobble as she settled back onto the bed.

Itachi pressed on, ignoring her reaction, "Your father has already been informed of your whereabouts and has asked that I deliver you home, personally."

The snowy-eyed heiress felt her stomach turn inside out. She couldn't possibly decide what was worse, facing her father, or facing Naruto.

* * *

><p><em>This chapter represents my lack of self control. I simply couldn't resist a little humor. At least, I hope that contained humor, that's what I was going for, heh. That and character development. <em>

I_ guess I should mention, sorry for the wait. I was really second guessing myself with this chapter and I ultimately ended up rewriting the end, which I'm happier with now. I seriously hope I didn't ruin the dynamic for future chapters! Admittedly I was a little scared about posting this chapter. There are so many things I was trying to achieve without upsetting the plans that I have or contradicting what I've already written. _

_Spring break is next week so I should be able to get some writing done. It may or may not be for this fic though, depending on what my fingers want to do._

_3 Thanks for all the favs and alerts and especially the reviews. Thanks for all the shy and quiet people who just read too! 3_

...Next Chapter...

"The Wedding"


	5. The Wedding

_I did some research on Japanese weddings and because they are (now) somewhat westernized, I decided to incorporate whatever I wanted from both modern, western weddings, and traditional Japanese ones. Yay for me! So just enjoy it anyway… _

* * *

><p><strong>Contrived Flaws<strong>

_Chapter 5: The Wedding_

* * *

><p>The day before the wedding was a gloomy one. Winter had decided to make its presence known and had gifted the village with a dose of treacherous weather.<p>

The sky was solid and grey, blank, like a Hyuuga eye. The rain was cold and heavy; The wind frigid and strong.

Hinata liked to think the weather was mourning in her stead, as it seemed she was unable to. Instead she was seated, once again, in her father's office, watching as the rain pelted the large glass windows. The drops trailed down, clear and beautiful, like tears.

Her father had been too livid to speak with her the night before, instead ordering her to bed. But now, she was waiting to be graced with his presence, waiting to receive her lecture.

The anxiety gnawed at her insides and her stomach churned with the realization that she had not eaten breakfast. She chewed her bottom lip as she resisted the intense urge to wring her hands together. What she would give for a soothing piece of sweet bread or a hole to crawl into.

"Hinata," her father's deep voice shattered her thoughts and a new bolt of anxiety jolted through her. His presence was at once stifling and she briefly struggled to fill her lungs with air.

She scrambled to get out of her chair and quickly bowed, adding a quiet, "Father."

"It is nearly impossible to find the words to express my disappointment in you," he began, causing Hinata to lower her head in shame. Unswayed by her actions, he moved around his desk and settled his palms onto it, leaning over toward her with intensity. "If you think that by behaving so foolishly you will be excused from this wedding, you are mistaken." Even though his tone was quiet, it was indisputably stern in a manner that seemed so prominent amongst those that surrounded Hinata.

"N-no, father, I-"

"Quiet," he ordered. "I understand that you will never be the perfect daughter, but you _will_ marry the Uchiha heir and bring honor and respect to the clans."

Hinata felt tears prickling sharply at the edges of her snowy eyes; They burned with the anticipation of crying. Surely her father had said far more harsh things to her in days foregone. Still, that did not ease the stinging of her heart. How she longed to tell him how disappointed she was in his fathering skills, but it would not be wise.

Instead she nodded meekly, averting her gaze to the floor, "Of c-course, father, I only wish to please y-you."

"Please me?" he questioned, with what would be considered a raised voice for a Hyuuga. "Do you think that sneaking out mere days before your wedding, finding yourself unconscious in the middle of the street like some ruffian, raising your voice to the Uchiha heir _pleases_ me?"

"No f-father."

"Uchiha Itachi expects a well mannered, subservient wife that can display herself properly in public and will _not_ embarrass him or his family name!" he continued. "Have I not raised you as such?"

"Y-yes father," she replied, stealing a glance once more at the rain trailing down the windows, "I am immensely honored that Itachi-sama will t-take me as his w-wife." She felt that her tongue betrayed her as it formed those words. She was not, however, a stranger to telling her father what he wanted to hear. "I will not disappoint you," she added quietly, but firmly.

As he nodded with finality and rambled off her schedule for the day, she briefly wondered if that would be the last time she would stand in her father's office, being chastised by him. Would it be Itachi, instead, who was scolding her? Would it be_ his_ father?

Or perhaps she would manage to do things right this time, perhaps she would be able to make someone proud.

* * *

><p>"Hinata!" came a sing-song voice from outside her bedroom door. Without waiting for a reply, Hyuuga Hanabi burst through the door with a grin on her face. "Are you <em>still<em> sulking?" she questioned, putting her hands on her hips.

The elder sister, who was standing as still as a statue by the window, did not move, but instead replied in a stilted tone, "Of course not, sister."

Hanabi's playful demeanor quickly fled as she saw that her sister was truly in distress. Perhaps some would not recognize it, but it was when Hinata _hid_ her emotions, that she was truly disturbed. "Aw, I'm sorry, 'Nata, I didn't realize you were really upset."

Hinata gathered herself and turned, with a strained smile, to pull her sister into her arms. "I'm just thinking of how I'll miss you."

The younger Hyuuga pulled back. "Come on, now, It's not like you're going anywhere. You're not leaving the village, you're not dying! I'll still see you plenty. _Way_ too much for my taste, probably," she added with a grin.

The heiress smiled wider. "Thank you, Hanabi."

"I'm still here for you, sister, and if you need me to talk to Itachi-san, or… distract him or whatever, I'm your girl."

Hinata laughed quietly. "I wish you wouldn't be so infatuated with him, it's kind of creepy."

Her younger sister scoffed. "I'm way more calm about it than some of the girls around the village," she justified, "Everyone is really jealous of you, you know."

"They needn't be," she said, her mood quickly turning sour, "Itachi is no different from our father."

Hanabi's face wrenched in displeasure. "Kami, I didn't want that mental connection, Hinata! Let me have a _little_ pleasure!"

The elder sister giggled despite herself, she couldn't help but be cheered up by Hanabi who was now grinning like a cheshire cat.

"Now come on, Neji and I made you lunch before the rehearsal," she added, after her sister recovered from her laughter.

As they quietly padded out of the room and down the hall, a servant interrupted them to inform Hinata that she had a visitor.

* * *

><p>Waiting in the garden for her was the object of her nightmares the previous evening. The reason she could not be relieved the meeting with her father was over.<p>

It was the world's number one knuckleheaded ninja, and he was presently holding a bundle of flowers in his hand that looked oddly familiar. In fact, they looked like a dead match for the bare patch of ground that was just peeking around Naruto's leg. He thrust them forward with a sheepish grin on his face. "Hinata-chan, I'm-"

"What the _hell_ are you doing here?" a very irate voice came from behind Hinata.

Hanabi entered the garden, swiftly filling the air with her unmistakable intent before she could even reach the blonde ninja. Her fists were clenched at her sides and her eyes were surrounded by bulging veins, indicating that her Byuakugan was activated. She swept across the floor with large purposeful strides as she closed in on her target. Most people didn't that the younger Hyuuga sister was even less of a proper young lady than Hinata - though life was certainly easier for her. She could do no wrong in her father's eyes, and she was not saddled with the responsibility that her elder sister was. In fact, that was, perhaps, the one thing Hinata and Itachi had in common. They both strove to protect their younger siblings with everything they had.

Naruto looked slightly frightened as he threw his hands up. "Hanabi-chan, it's so nice to see you!" he said, while backing away from her advances.

Neji came rushing out, well, it was rushing for Neji. "Stop her, she's going to…"

Before the eldest Hyuuga could finish his sentence, it was done. With swift movements, Hanabi pressed the heel of her hand to several of Naruto's chakra points in quick succession, earning a grunt and a groan from him each time.

"… Jyuuken him," Neji finished with a tone of defeat, settling his thumb and forefinger on the bridge of his nose.

Naruto doubled over in pain and fell to his knees, groaning and coughing intermittently. The flowers were forgotten as they settled onto the ground beside him.

"Hanabi!" the elder sister exclaimed, rushing over and kneeling in front of the object of her affection.

Hanabi had settled her hands on her hips and she rolled her eyes, "Don't worry, he'll live."

"Hinata, I'm sorry!" he exclaimed, grabbing her hand as she got close enough. He looked into her eyes, remorse swimming in his own blue orbs. "Sasuke said you didn't want to be married, I was only trying to help!"

The snowy-eyed heiress found that she was utterly speechless as she grasped the sincerity in his voice. On the one hand, she was mortified that she had once again fainted in front of Naruto the night before, but she was also oddly touched that he had tried to help her. In the end, she managed a small nod.

"I never meant to hurt you, Hinata-chan," he added, hanging his head in what she guessed to be shame, "Please forgive me."

"Fat chance, jackass!" Hanabi cut in, "Don't you get it? She li-"

"I f-forgive you!" Hinata squeaked loudly, hoping to shut her younger sister up.

Neji appeared between them and settled a hand on each of his cousin's shoulders. "Lovely, now you should get off of the compound before my father hears that you're here," he said, pointedly looking at Naruto.

The blond junchuuriki nodded, unable to suppress his usual grin as he rose to his feet, already feeling quite better, thanks in part to the kyuubi. He gave the three Hyuugas a thumbs up, and darted off.

* * *

><p>Itachi settled himself at his desk and pulled out some paperwork. He had been exempt from missions for the past few days, and would continue to be for a few more, but he still had things to do. He needed to file for expenses on the last mission, write progress reports on his two newest squad members, and a captain recommendation on the other.<p>

Tomorrow he would be wed, but tonight felt like any other night. He glanced around his room, noting that it would be the last night spent there. Once the ceremony concluded, he and his wife would move into their own house on the compound.

He sighed and ran a hand through his untied hair. He had never had any illusions about marriage. He had never thought that he would marry a particular person, or fall in love. Hell, at the time he had been arranged to marry, he hadn't even begun to think about dating. He had always been too busy for girls. If it were up to him, he would probably never marry.

But, of course, it wasn't up to him. He was to perpetuate the clan, bring peace to Konoha's most important assets. It was merely a job, merely a contract.

It was his duty, and if there was one thing he was good at, it was doing his job.

He was at peace with it, though he had come to accept it long ago. He _had _been given plenty of time to come to terms with it. Still, he could rest assured knowing that his younger brother would be spared his fate. If his dear Sasuke were to ever fancy a woman, he could only hope that he would be allowed to marry her. And he could only hope that Sasuke _would _someday, strive for happiness.

"Brother," came a voice, followed by a knock. Sasuke entered without invitation, looking every bit the younger brother as he shuffled toward Itachi, looking downcast.

Itachi granted him little more acknowledgement than a glance in his direction as the younger Uchiha sat tentatively on the corner of the bed.

"Please, brother," Sasuke pleaded, sounding so much younger than Itachi recalled him sounding in quite some time, "You must come to your senses."

The elder brother continued writing, the scratching of pen on paper the only sound filling the dead air. It wasn't as if he wanted to ignore his younger brother, it was simply that he was unsure what to say. He knew from experience that there was no allaying his brother's concerns; When he wanted to be, he was every bit as stubborn as every Uchiha before him.

"You can't go through with this!" Sasuke continued, raising his voice. "You can't marry Hinata! She isn't good enough for you!"

"Enough," Itachi commanded, turning only now to face his brother. "If you do not understand now, then I trust that you will someday. This is not a choice, it is a sacrifice, and it is as much for you, my foolish little brother, as it is for the clan."

Sasuke huffed and crossed his arms, looking away from his older brother. He hated more than anything to be chastised by Itachi. He would rather be berated by his father a thousand times over, considering he had far more respect for his brother than he ever imagined he would have for Fugaku. "It doesn't have to be this way," he argued, albeit pathetically.

"Sasuke," Itachi began, encouraging his brother to look at him with a tap of his own chin, "I would appreciate your blessing, but it is not required."

"You will never have my blessing!" he spat back, before bolting from the room, the only evidence of his presence the slamming of a door.

Itachi spun back around and continued writing, gripping his pen more forcefully than before. He disliked, more than anything, having his younger brother upset with him. But some things simply couldn't be helped.

Such is the cost of sacrifices.

* * *

><p>The day of the wedding was fraught with nervous energy. Hinata felt as though everyone was buzzing around her, like anxious little insects, ordering her here and there. Pulling her this way and that. Cleaning her, clothing her, fixing her hair, makeup.<p>

"So many people…" they kept saying, "…must be perfect…"

By this point, Hinata was in a perpetual state of panic. Apparently invitations had been sent out across the country and even to some bordering countries to announce the joining of the Hyuuga and Uchiha clans. Personally, she didn't see the need for such a large wedding, didn't see the point of making a big show.

But a show it was. Members from two of the most prominent clans in Konoha were marrying, and every self-proclaimed important person wanted to attend.

Hinata would've preferred a quiet contract. After all, that's what it was, right? A contract. She may as well be signing her life away, selling her soul to the devil.

Well, perhaps that would be a little melodramatic. But still, she couldn't help but feel her life would be ending this day. She would be forced into the role of caretaker. No longer would she be known as Hinata, only now as Itachi's wife. It was very likely she would never pursue her dream of becoming a great ninja.

But when she really thought about it, she wasn't entirely sure it was ever _her_ dream. She was forced to train from a young age, because she was a Hyuuga, and they were ninja, damn it. But if not, then what _was_ her dream?

It hardly mattered, she decided. She would shoulder the responsibility given to her and perhaps save Hanabi from such heartache. She could only hope her younger sister would be allowed to marry whomever she pleased, when the time came.

"Hinata-sama," a voice interrupted her thoughts, "A Mikoto-san is here to see you. Shall I let her in?"

The heiress startled, nearly toppling off of the stool she was perched atop, as her assistants perfected her snow-white kimono. "O-oh, yes," she managed, after regaining her balance.

A softly smiling Mikoto stepped gingerly into the room. She, herself was already dressed up in a dark purple kimono, long raven hair fixed atop her head with decorative sticks jutting out from both sides. "Hello, Hinata, dear, I hope you don't mind if I come in?"

Hinata couldn't help the smile that crept across her face. "O-of course not, Mikoto-san."

The older woman ignored her unnecessary honorific as she continued across the room. "How are things going in here?"

The heiress glanced downward, pressing her fingertips together nervously. She offered only a quiet, "Okay," in response.

With all the authority of a woman who has dealt with many recalcitrant Uchihas in her day, Mikoto dismissed everyone who was in the room, save Hinata. "You must tell me what's going on in that lovely head of yours, dear," she urged gently, extending a hand to help her off of the stool.

Hinata swallowed hard, not meeting the Uchiha mother's gaze. "I-I'm nervous?" she said, and it really did sound like more of a question than an answer.

"That's perfectly normal, dear." She briefly wished she could sit the young woman down and have a lengthy talk with her. Perhaps if she'd have come sooner… "I know it hardly seems like consolation, but I _do_ know what you're feeling right now. I was arranged to marry Itachi's father, just as you are marrying Itachi. And though it doesn't seem that way now, it will get better, and it will get easier."

Hinata nodded, and though the older woman's words did not entirely pierce through to her anxious heart, her presence alone was gradually calming her.

"If it helps, Itachi is quite nervous himself. Be warned, however, that he will not show it to you or anyone else."

The lips of the young heiress quirked up slightly at the corners, against her will, "Itachi-san is nervous?" she questioned, not bothering to mask her incredulous tone.

"Immensely," Mikoto smiled. "Itachi is as human as you or me or anyone else, you must always remember that, Hinata. He is as desperate to please his father as any child is."

She nodded slowly. In truth, she hadn't really thought of it that way. She was viewing herself as the sole victim, without considering Itachi's side at all. She felt slightly ashamed at the realization and her resolve was once more built up. Not only was she doing this for her father and her sister, but she would also do it for Itachi, for she knew all too well what it was like trying to please one's father.

"Thank you Mikoto-san," she said quietly. She felt as though a tiny bit of weight had been lifted from her heart and for the first time that day, she could breathe.

"Of course dear, and I must say, you are the most beautiful bride I have ever seen."

* * *

><p>"Itachi!" came his mother's melodic voice.<p>

"Mother," he said with thinly veiled irritation, "I am getting dressed."

"You do realize I changed your diapers?" she replied, continuing inside despite his protests. Unlike Hinata, Itachi did not have a small army preparing him for the ceremony. Instead, there was Shisui, who was assisting him, and Sasuke, who was sitting a chair, looking more put out than normal.

Knowing it unwise to argue with his mother, Itachi did not comment further, instead opting to change the subject, "Is something troubling you, mother?"

"Not at all, dear, I merely came to see how you were doing, though I can see you're a bit worked up." It was a classic tactic that Mikoto often used on her taciturn sons. Despite its frequent use, they continued to fall for it.

"I am not _worked up_, mother," he said, not bothering to hide his agitation. Shisui smirked as he recognized what the older Uchiha was up to.

"It's all right to be nervous, dear," she continued on, circling him as she picked some imaginary particles from his clothing, "It's perfectly normal."

He closed his eyes for a moment, reining in his emotions and placing them back where he deemed they belonged - hidden. "Leave," he ordered a still smug looking Shisui. "You too, twit," he motioned to Sasuke, who fixed him with a glare and a huff in response.

Once they had exited the room, he turned to his mother with a blank expression. "What are you after, mother?"

"I merely came to offer support to my eldest son on this, his one and only wedding day."

"I do not need support."

She smiled softly and cupped his cheek with her soft hand. "Everyone needs support, dear, even a genius like you."

Instead of responding, Itachi merely averted his gaze off to the side.

"You look very handsome, son," she complimented, stepping back to get a good look.

"Thank you, mother," he replied stiffly, still not looking her in the eye.

* * *

><p>Hinata was shocked by the size of the ceremony. She had not realized that so many people would be in attendance. In addition to all of the clan members from both the Hyuuga side, and the Uchiha side, there were dignitaries that she had never met, the Hokage, her friends and their families, and a great deal of people whom she did not know.<p>

She hardly had time to dwell on it at the moment as she was ushered forward to stand next to Itachi. He was dressed in traditional clothing, all black. Most notably, his haori had three white Uchiha fans across the front of it, symbolizing his clan heritage. As she moved to stand next to him, she snuck a glance sideways at his passive face, curtain of inky black hair cascading around it. She briefly wondered how he could be so calm. She felt like there was an entire herd of wild boar running amok in her stomach. To her credit, she looked relatively calm on the outside, though her face was tinged its usual shade of pink.

She forced herself to focus as the master of ceremonies began his speech, but it was difficult to hear over the thrumming of her heart. Her mind would not stop telling her, this is happening, this is happening. And she knew it was, she just couldn't stop _thinking_ that.

Before she could gain control of her emotions, three cups of ascending size were being placed before them, and sake was poured into each. Itachi sipped three times out of the smallest one, before passing it to her. She swallowed roughly, suddenly feeling how incredibly dry her throat was. She felt nauseous and not at all up to drinking alcohol, but before she could think about it further, she realized that she was holding up the ceremony. Her fingers twitched and trembled as she carefully grasped the cup, hoping desperately that she wouldn't drop it as she gingerly brought it to her lips.

She attempted to keep a straight face, but the fact of the matter was, the stuff tasted awful to her. She had been forced to drink some the day before, at the rehearsal, in preparation for this very moment, but it only served to make her cringe in displeasure before even taking a sip, as she anticipated the bitterness.

If Itachi noticed, he didn't let on, as he continued, in his professional and detached way, to participate in the ceremony. This time, Hinata was the first to sip from her cup three times, before passing it to Itachi. For the third and final cup, Itachi was first to drink before passing it on to his bride.

Hinata could have cried out in relief at the fact that she would no longer have to drink anymore of the awful tasting liquid. That, and the most important part of the ceremony was over, and without a single mortifying mistake on her part.

With that, the marriage was officially sealed, and their families were joined. As each clan drank their traditional cups of sake, Itachi turned to Hinata and placed a chaste kiss on her forehead. It was not tender, nor romantic, it was simply a kiss.

It was, however, completely improvised and not at all expected. Her shock was evident as she looked up into his dark eyes searchingly. But the moment was gone, and Itachi was already leaving to greet his father and mother, whom smiled and touched him lightly on the back.

Hinata turned to face her father, who merely gave her the slightest of nods as she passed by.

* * *

><p>The reception was nothing more than a colorful blur for Hinata. She was introduced to an inordinate number of people, mostly members of the Uchiha clan. If they thought she was supposed to keep up with everyone's names and faces, they were surely mad.<p>

It was clear that this marriage was so much more about the uniting of clans than the uniting of two people. Itachi and Hinata were largely forgotten as the Uchiha and Hyuuga clans struggled to communicate with one another. They were not, historically, clans that got along. This was supposed to be the start of a new era, they each had an heir invested in this new relationship, each had a part in their potential success.

The large meeting hall on the Hyuuga compound had been cleared out and decorated lavishly for the occasion. Although it was large, it seemed to be positively packed with people milling about. Most of the travelers had only attended the wedding ceremony, which left a great deal of Uchiha and Hyuuga clan members along with close friends of some of the clan members.

Decorating the large room was a mixture of ivory and navy, a color each to represent the respective clans. It was surely an odd combination, though no more odd than the pair of newlyweds. There was a multitude of sake, leading to a great deal of intoxicated people stumbling about as the night wore on. While most of the clan members were far too stoic to let loose, more than a few had not held back when it came to the alcohol.

"So how does it feel, _Mr. Uchiha_?" Sasuke questioned, his voice dripping with mockery and more than a little malice.

In response, Itachi swiftly stole the cup of sake from his younger brother's grip, "You are much too young for this."

"I'm eighteen, dumbass!" he cried in outrage.

"I am aware of your age, little brother, as I am aware of your lack of self-control."

Sasuke was positively fuming as he ground his teeth together. If not for his brother's comment only moments before, he surely would've attacked him, but he would not risk proving his point for him. "Shouldn't you be with your _wife_?" he bit out.

"She is presently occupied," he replied calmly, motioning to Hinata, who was dancing with her teammate, Kiba. He was grinning wolfishly as she danced around him, looking quite nimble despite her usual clumsiness. Itachi paused to turn and settle his gaze on his new wife. Indeed, he noted that she possessed much more grace and fluidity than he had previously realized, if only when dancing. She was agile and light on her feet as she smiled and danced with her partner. If only she could channel that skill into her fighting, she would be a formidable opponent, though perhaps not for him.

"Oh, great," came an annoyed voice. It jarred Itachi from his thoughts and he realized he had been watching Hinata longer than he intended. It was not often he lost himself in such thought while in the company of others.

He faced his younger brother impassively, awaiting an explanation.

"You were thinking _things_ about Hinata weren't you?" Sasuke accused.

"Merely how to improve her skill as a ninja," Itachi replied with ease.

Sasuke looked like he was about to make further accusations when a certain Uzumaki boy charged into the middle of the conversation, as was his method. "Hey, Itachi-san! How's it feel to be a married man?" he questioned loudly. It was evident that Naruto had been in the sake, himself.

Itachi struggled not to wince at his overbearing nature. How Sasuke managed to tolerate the blond boy was certainly a mystery. Perhaps he would compliment his brother on his long-suffering one of these days. "It is much the same."

"Yeah," Naruto said distractedly, "Man, Hinata looks _hot_!"

Sasuke elbowed him sharply in the ribs. "Dobe."

"Er, nice, she looks nice," Naruto quickly mended.

Itachi merely gave a "Hn," before walking off. He decided that a certain Inuzuka boy had danced with his wife long enough.

* * *

><p>Hinata, as was customary, had changed from her wedding clothes into a more comfortable outfit. It was a colorful, sleeveless kimono of a light lavender color, adorned with various darker purple flowers. After being introduced to more people than she cared to remember, she had finally been left alone to speak with her own friends. Kiba and Shino had shown up, much to her relief, and she quickly gravitated to them. After commenting on how lovely she looked, Kiba was quick to ask for a dance, in an effort to lighten Hinata's heavy mood.<p>

Much to her surprise it had been a successful effort and she was enjoying herself more than she imagined. Kiba was quite a good dancer and she found herself letting go just a little bit as she smiled and enjoyed her time with him.

"May I interrupt?"

Hinata stopped abruptly at the sound of the voice she recognized as Itachi's. He must've known she was enjoying herself and come to put an end to it, she mused darkly.

"Of course, Itachi-san," Kiba said politely, before giving her a slight bow and striding towards the insect-user and off of the dancing area.

Fighting back the urge to plead Kiba to stay, she turned towards her husband and dipped her head, "I-Itachi-san."

"It is expected that we dance with one another," he said simply, holding a hand out in offering, or perhaps it was more of a command, she couldn't be sure.

She swallowed roughly, surely she had not expected an invitation. Itachi was all business, she knew that, so why was a tiny portion of her just the slightest bit disappointed? "O-of course," she replied, taking his hand. It was large and warm as his slender fingers curved around her petite ones. She found that her other hand felt oddly cold as it trembled slightly at her side.

She could not meet the Uchiha's gaze as she teetered around, struggling to keep up with his dancing. Instead she stared at their feet, taking in the sight of his long legs, ending in agile feet, next to her short, pale ones. She stumbled and tripped over her own feet, muttering apologies here and there as her face grew more heated by the second.

"You are no longer graceful," Itachi commented. He had meant compared to her earlier movement with Kiba, but perhaps Itachi was not as articulate as most would think.

Hinata tugged at her hand, willing it free from his grip, but he did not budge. "I-I'm s-sorry," she apologized again.

The Uchiha realized his mistake much too late, "You were quite fluid dancing with the Inuzuka boy," he said, hoping she would understand what he meant.

"O-oh," she said quietly, almost too low for him to hear, "Kiba-kun and I l-like to dance around for f-fun sometimes."

He nodded in response, "I will allow you to return to your friends, then. We will depart in one hour." He abruptly dropped Hinata's hand from his grip and left, leaving her alone and quite confused.

* * *

><p>In hindsight, Hinata might've wished for the reception to last just a little longer. She had not the presence of mind to realize that once it was over, she would be left only in the company of her new husband. She was not prepared, not at all. Though she would probably never feel truly prepared for such a task.<p>

Itachi did nothing to make it easier on her. He did not offer comfort nor conversation. In fact, he had said very few words to her the entire day, if one did not count his vows, though, undoubtedly, those were more to her family than to her.

When the time came to depart the reception, Hinata felt a little like a child, leaving its mother for the first time. Though she had no mother to be leaving. Still, it was not without hesitation that she left the uneasy comfort of the multitudes of people for the isolation of Itachi's company alone.

Even still, he did not speak, silently beckoning her to accompany him as she left the Hyuuga compound for what felt like the final time.

Her necessary belongings had been moved into her new home earlier in the day, leaving her with nothing to do but obediently follow Itachi as he made his way to the Uchiha compound.

Their new home was small, but not lacking in anything. It held two bedrooms, a bathroom, a moderately sized kitchen, an office, and a communal room. It was located nearest the main Uchiha house, giving Itachi's family proximity to him, and vice versa. Perhaps Hinata's favorite feature of the home was the garden out back. It was small, nothing at all like her garden back home, and the flowers were all quite dead, but she could see the potential. She would fix it up, that was for certain. It gave her something to look forward to.

As she stared at the garden, imagining it filled with all of her favorite flowers and magnificent smells, she felt a tiny bit of dampness on her nose. She glanced up curiously and smiled as she noticed it was beginning to snow. The flakes were small and melted immediately on contact with another object, but she couldn't help but smile. She loved the snow. She remembered being overcome with excitement when she was younger anytime it would snow. She would beg Neji to take her out to play in it. Though it would barely be a layer on the ground she would try to make snow-angels and snow-ninjas, much to Neji's amusement.

Her smile turned slightly down at the thought as she stuck her palm out to catch a flake of the frozen moisture.

"You should not be outside in the cold," Itachi's voice sounded in her ear. His proximity was startling, and she hadn't even noticed his presence until he spoke.

"I l-love the s-snow," she commented, not turning around to look at him.

"Why?" he questioned, though it was not what she expected. Truthfully, she hadn't expected a response at all. If anything, perhaps an insistence to go inside.

She pondered before replying. "It's something so plain turned into something so beautiful and intricate as a snowflake. No one thinks water is very special, but once it's transformed into a unique snowflake, they can't help but take notice."

She couldn't see, as her back was to him, but Itachi smiled ever so slightly before responding, "Come, I will show you to your room."

* * *

><p><em>Big thanks to everyone who has reviewed and read so far! <em>

_Even bigger thanks to **eryxl** (An awesome writer) for beta-ing this chapter, I appreciate it! _

_Don't forget to drop me a note and tell me what you think. _


	6. The Rules

**Contrived Flaws**  
><em>Ch. 6: The Rules<em>

* * *

><p>Hyuuga Hinata had been married nearly seventy-two hours now. Not that she was counting.<p>

Presently she was seated with the 'girls' of Konoha, who had insisted she come to lunch with them. She reasoned it was most likely to extract information, they were ninja after all. And girls.

Truthfully there wasn't much to report. The first day she had awoken to a very quiet house; Quiet and empty. Her father had called her to the compound for a meeting, which she followed up with a meal and time well spent with Hanabi. When she returned later that evening, there was still no sign of Itachi, and before long she retired to her room and fell asleep.

The second day she, again, awoke to a vacant house. After finally wandering out to train with her team she had hurried home in case her husband was finally there. She wasn't sure whether to be disappointed or relieved when she had again fallen asleep before his return.

Which brought us to today when she, surprise, woke up and Itachi was nowhere to be found. She was sure he had been sleeping there, or at least dropping in, as there was always half a pot of coffee and a soiled mug in the sink. Before she could make it to the training grounds to meet up with her team, Ino and Sakura had cut her off and asked - no, demanded - she come to lunch with them. She insisted that her team was waiting, but with a dismissive wave of the hand, the blonde girl had assured her that Tenten was presently taking care of that.

And that was how she ended up poking at the half-eaten food in front of her as she listened to Ino go on about Sasuke's antics before the wedding.

"Oh no, you have to do something," the blonde insisted, "I can't believe that gorgeous little jerk would do something like that?"

"And Naruto too," Sakura added, "He's just as guilty!"

The blonde snorted, "Naruto's too stupid to come up with a plan like that."

"He's not…" the medic-nin trailed off.

"Told you, forehead!" Ino said triumphantly.

"Shut it, pig."

"I-i don't really think it's a g-good idea to get back at anyone," Hinata finally spoke up.

"You have to stand up for yourself, Hinata, or Sasuke will just keep jerking you around," Ino insisted.

"I-itachi-san said-"

"Are you going to hide behind that Uchiha now?" Tenten finally voiced her opinion on the matter, "Don't let that pompous clan bastard think you can't take care of yourself!"

"Stop projecting, Tenten, it's unattractive," the blonde said easily before turning her attention back to Hinata. Tenten shoved a large bite of food in her mouth and averted her eyes.

Hinata practically withered under Ino's sly gaze. She just wished someone would change the subject, she didn't want revenge on her brother-in-law, she just wanted everyone to talk about something else. Was that too much to ask for?

"So," the blonde gossip queen paused dramatically, "How was it?"

The Hyuuga heiress shot glances to the table's other occupants, "H-how was wh-what?"

"Your first night with the Uchiha, of course."

Okay, she had kind of walked into that one. Maybe talking about revenge wasn't so bad after all. Much to her dismay a blush steadily crept up her neck and over her ears, even as she consciously fought against it.

"Ah ha!" Ino exclaimed victoriously, "I knew it! Spill it, Hyuuga!"

"I-it's not what you think," she protested. But it was too late. The three other girls were already exchanging glances. There was no getting out of it now.

* * *

><p><em>Hinata never imagined her wedding night would be so eventful, not with Itachi, at least. <em>

_But there she was, straddling her new husband, face bright red, heart thrumming against her chest. _

_It had all started so innocently, really. _

_After showing Hinata her room, in his rather detached manner, Itachi had declared he was going to take a shower. The Hyuuga heiress couldn't blame him, he had been touched and congratulated by more Uchiha's and Hyuuga's than he'd probably like to remember. She imagined him the sort of man that didn't like to be touched, but that remained to be seen. Not something she should be considering at the moment, she decided. Tentatively sitting on the bed, she folded her hands neatly in her lap and glanced around. _

_Her new room was smaller than the one she'd had back in the Hyuuga compound, but not by much. She was surprised to see most of her belongings there, set up in much the same way they had been in her own room. She was caught between feeling slightly violated and just a little bit impressed, but settled for the latter. Her mind then wandered to her sister and cousin, wondering if they missed her. A silly thought, she supposed, she had only been gone a couple of hours. They probably weren't even thinking about her; Perhaps they were still enjoying the reception. _

_Shaking her head free of such thoughts, she stood and walked over to her wardrobe, hoping a change of clothes would help her feel a bit refreshed. Her mind was buzzing with all of the activities of the last few hours, and she feared it might spin out of control if she didn't occupy herself. _

_After redressing, she decided that she'd have a closer look at the house, and found herself lingering in the kitchen. She loved to bake, she found it relaxing. It was methodical, precise, and had yummy results. She often talked Hanabi into baking with her, but the younger Hyuuga was not so fond of it. She was impatient, and imprecise, not two qualities that had a particularly delicious outcome. _

_Hesitating, she decided to see if the house was stocked with food, and was surprised to find that, in fact, it was. As she stared at the baking ingredients, she faintly heard the shower in the background. Mentally, she checked off ingredients until she was satisfied that she had what she needed to bake some cookies. It was a win-win situation, she decided. It would relax her to bake, and if she was lucky, It would even please her new husband. _

_Smiling to herself, she started the oven before fetching a bowl and ingredients. Busting open two eggs, she paused, wondering how many cookies she should make. When she baked at home, no one but her sister and herself ate them. She wasn't sure how many Itachi would eat, but to be safe, she decided to make double the amount she normally did. On her way back across the kitchen with the eggs, she tripped over a small rug in front of the sink, that she swore hadn't been there before. _

_Mourning the loss of her eggs, which were now splattered across the kitchen floor, she decided she'd continue with her baking, and clean the mess up afterwards. After gathering eggs, again, she continued with the process of adding and mixing ingredients until the only thing left to add was flour. By now, she couldn't help the tiny humming noise that was escaping her as she fell into the routine she had perfected over so many years. _

_"What are you doing?" Famous words. _

_After that, everything happened so quickly. _

_Hinata squeaked, having been unaware that anyone was in the room. Yes, she would have to work on that, ninja and all. She stumbled backward, away from Itachi and his startling presence. In turn, he stepped forward in an effort to catch her, but slipped on the offending eggs. In one swift motion, he fell on his back, taking Hinata with him. Still holding the flour in her hands, they both landed with a resounding poof and Itachi was bathed, quite thoroughly, in the white powder. _

_And Hinata? There she was, straddling her new husband, cheeks beet red from a mixture of surprise and embarrassment, her heart straining to escape her chest. _

_Itachi, on the other hand, didn't look too pleased, what with the flour sticking to his freshly washed hair. _

_Remorse and laughter warred inside Hinata as she took in the situation with wide eyes. Unexpectedly, a giggle escaped her throat and she immediately clamped her hand over her mouth, her eyes growing even wider. _

_Later she would chalk it up to being downright delirious from the events of the days previous, but it hardly mattered at the time. Despite her most valiant efforts she was soon shaking with laughter. The great Uchiha Itachi, bested by two little eggs. _

_"I do not share your amusement," Itachi's voice broke through her giggling. "Would you mind removing yourself from-"_

_"O-oh," she practically squealed, jumping up so quickly she nearly fell over again. "I-I'm sorry. I'm so s-sorry!" _

_Without sparing her a glance, he picked himself up from the floor and replied tonelessly, "Clean this mess up and go to bed." _

* * *

><p>Of course that's not what Hinata told the girls. She knew far too well what it meant to have a reputation, being in a clan, and she wasn't about to trample the great Uchiha Itachi's. That, and she didn't have a death wish. She just wanted this whole marriage thing to go as smoothly as possible.<p>

"A-and he snuck up behind me while I was w-watching the snow," she finished her story which was not entirely untruthful.

Sakura had her mouth practically hanging open, presumably from shock at how anticlimactic the story was. Ino kindly closed it and muttered something about foreheads.

"That's not romantic," the pink haired medic pointed out, sounding a bit outraged.

"That's all that happened?" Ino pushed, raising a fine blonde eyebrow in question.

"He to-took a shower?" Hinata added questioningly, as if wondering if that was pertinent information. She had managed to keep her innocent facade in tact around her girlfriends as practice. Neji had pointed out that it could be used to her advantage. People have a tendency to let their guard down around the shy girl, he'd said, and once you have their trust, then you strike.

Of course, sometimes Hinata wasn't acting, she really was just that innocent.

"With you?" the blonde inquired hopefully.

The heiress shook her head in the negative while discreetly eyeing potential escape routes. She really didn't need Ino pursuing this line of questioning any further.

"There you are," a male voice suddenly exclaimed, "We've been looking everywhere for you!"

Hinata turned to see her two teammates, Kiba and Shino, the former of which had just spoken. "First we went to your house cause it's kinda habit and we forgot you were married," Kiba continued, pausing to grin wildly, "Then we remembered you lived somewhere over on the Uchiha compound but we don't know where because you've yet to invite us over. Boy did they seem a little touchy when we asked where you were. Anyway, finally we ran into Neji who turned out to be entirely unhelpful. Shocker. Then I caught your-"

Kiba stopped his incessant tumbling of words at Shino's very pointed clearing of the throat. "It appears we have interrupted some sort of lunch date that Hinata failed to mention." He shifted his sunglasses, causing the light to reflect off of them momentarily.

Ino shifted nervously in her seat as a few beats passed before Hinata turned to her with realization, "You s-said that Tenten was going to tell them!"

The blonde's eyes widened, "Tenten," she said, turning the blame on the brown haired girl, "You didn't?"

The weapon's mistress scoffed, "You are not blaming this on me. It's the first I've heard of it."

Ino turned to smile sweetly at the bug user, "Sorry, Shino-kun, someone was supposed to tell you that we were stealing Hinata for the day."

Kiba let ouf a huff, "Girl stuff," he muttered as Shino merely nodded his agreement and they were soon strolling off down the street.

"Okay," Tenten slammed her hand down on the table, causing Hinata to jump, "What the hell was that?"

"M-my teammates are just a l-little-"

"Not that," she paused to nod her head toward the blonde haired kunoichi seated at the table, "That."

Ino flipped her hair behind her shoulder and took a great interest in her manicured nails, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"You didn't know?" Sakura said with a mischievous grin, "Ino has a thing for the bug guy."

"Forehead! I told you that in confidence," the blonde replied, looking positively betrayed.

"Whatever, like you don't prance off to tell any willing ear after I confide in you."

"That's different."

"W-wait," Hinata interjected, trying desperately to catch up to the conversation, "You l-like Shino?"

"What I _said_ was, 'Isn't he kind of attractive?' which forehead butchered into having a thing for him."

Tenten scoffed again, "Who knows, he wears more clothing than the civvies in snow country."

All at once three heads swiveled to stare at Hinata. "Surely you've seen him without that overcoat and those sexy shades, Hinata?" Ino was the one who spoke.

The heiress swallowed roughly, she knew she should've excused herself to follow her teammates. "W-well, may-maybe? I don't re-remember."

"You have to," the blonde insisted, and suddenly, Hinata couldn't wait to get back to her new empty house.

* * *

><p>The white-eyed heiress' body sagged in relief as she saw her new home come into view. She couldn't wait for the respite it held from the incessant gossiping of Konoha's finest. It wasn't that she didn't like the girls, she did, it was just that she'd never seen the appeal of such pointless chatter. She could spend her time more wisely, that was for sure. And there was that distinctly uncomfortable feeling that came with being put in such a group dynamic with a few aggressive girls. They knew they could grill her, and while she could occasionally get one over on them, more often than not, she caved.<p>

A small smile crept onto her face as she pushed the door open, fully prepared to plop down in the large plush chair in the corner of the sitting room and relish the quiet.

"Where have you been?" the stern voice of Uchiha Itachi greeted her, destroying the precious silence she had been looking forward to.

She blinked a few times in astonishment. It was so… strange to see Itachi there. She hadn't seen him once after that embarrassing baking incident, and here he was, home, and it was still light outside. "I…" she trailed off as she took in the strangely casual look he was wearing. She had never seen him in anything less than formal attire or standard shinobi gear, but there he was, in sweats and a tank.

"I-I was h-having l-lunch with some… w-with some friends," she managed, standing just inside the - still open - door.

Wordlessly, Itachi strode toward her and for a few agonizing seconds she felt as if her heart was going to break free from her chest. She squinted her eyes shut and took in a sharp breath. This was it, he was going to scream at her, or strike her, or-

_Click_

She opened her eyes to see the Uchiha standing beside her, having closed the door. "It is well past lunchtime," he stated as if he was somehow in disbelief of her whereabouts. She felt him just beside her, facing away, as he gazed down at her through squinted eyes.

"Th-the girls w-were-"

"I trust you are not hungry then?" he sounded so casual, despite his intimidating form. She imagined him just as easily asking someone if they'd prefer a senbon to the heart or a katana to the throat. As if he cared.

She turned to face him and looked up in an attempt to study his expression. She had no doubt that Uchiha Itachi did not ask simple questions. There was something more, it was loaded. It had to be. She swallowed roughly, her tongue feeling like sandpaper against the roof of her dry mouth, "I d-didn't say that."

The corners of his mouth twitched ever so slightly at her ambiguous answer and she wondered whether or not that was a good sign. "Good," he said, after a moment of silence, "I made dinner."

He turned and walked away, disappearing into the kitchen and leaving a slightly bewildered Hinata behind. "You c-cook?" she questioned in disbelief, finally forcing her legs to follow. As she took in the sight of pots and pans of food, along with a few plates set out on the table she couldn't help but be lost. It was all terribly domestic and… strange.

He ignored her pointless query and instead ordered her to sit at the table, which she did without protest. "I need to discuss some things with you," he sat a plate of food in front of her before taking his own seat across the table.

She felt panic bubbling up in her chest as she twisted her fingers into the end of her shirt, "I-i'm sorry about-"

Itachi raised a hand, palm out, to silence her, "There are some boundaries that need to be laid out now that you are my wife."

She let out a quiet, "Oh," as she awaited these so called boundaries. Instead, Itachi began eating, letting the anticipation drag on as Hinata shifted nervously in her seat. Just as she moved to start eating, the Uchiha spoke, and she briefly wondered if he was messing with her.

"To begin with, you are not to interrupt my training. Ever."

The heiress nodded, fighting back a blush at the memory of her delivering brownies to the great Uchiha Itachi.

"I will not interrogate you in regards to your whereabouts and you will require no such information from me. However, you will not be allowed to take missions outside of fire country."

Hinata had placed a bite of rice in her mouth in an attempt to look casual, but it quickly came spluttering out as she choked on her husband's words. "N-no missions?"

For the first time since she arrived, Itachi looked her in the eyes, cold and serious,"I did not say you could not go on missions." The irritation was evident in his tone.

She worried her bottom lip for a moment before speaking, "But I c-can't leave the c-country?"

"There are plenty of low rank missions to be had in fire country. We are not discussing the issue any further, Hinata," he said with finality and then dropped his gaze to continue his meal.

The heiress stared blankly at her hands in her lap. She wanted to ask why? She was the heiress of the Hyuuga clan and had never been restricted in such ways, why should she be now! And damn it, she wanted to know why he chose now, of all times, to address her as simply Hinata.

"The Uchiha clan does not wish to involve you in their matters for at least a few months," he continued on, as if nothing was the matter, "But when they do you will be required to attend meetings and the like, just as you are for your own clan."

She nodded briefly. She could understand that they wanted to feel her out a bit before letting her in on their clan business, but she didn't mind. She didn't particularly like those dealings as it were, she just tolerated them. She was usually quite bored, and mentally a step ahead of the proceedings. She felt that she could make competent decisions as a clan head, she just didn't think she'd enjoy it. Being a part of two clans? She hadn't given it that much thought, and the idea was enough to make her mentally grimace.

She reached for her glass of water as she discreetly watched Itachi eating. He seemed so collected all the time, how she wished to be that way. Just as she took a sip, Itachi spoke again, "We are not required to consummate our marriage immediately."

Hinata, once again, choked on his words, sending her sip of water flying across the table in front of her. She wiped the excess from her chin and began spouting apologies as she tried to wipe up the mess on the table.

Itachi seemed unfazed as he continued, "Furthermore, both clans have agreed to give us a maximum of five years before expecting children."

"Ch-children?" she blurted, before filtering her very chaotic thoughts.

"Of course," he replied easily, fixing her with his dark eyes, "You did not think that after uniting the Uchiha and Hyuuga clans that the elders and council would not require children?"

She felt quite stupid when he put it that way, and she felt her cheeks darken a shade further, "W-well I guess I hadn't th-thought about it."

"It won't be a problem, will it?" he raised a fine eyebrow, and his tone suggested that it better not.

"N-no, of c-course not." She snuck a glance up at him and blushed deeper at the thought of doing anything required in the process of making children. With Itachi. She suddenly felt ill and barely heard her husband as he stated that was all for now, and they both finished their meal in silence.

* * *

><p>Gasp! An update. I know, I'm shocked too. This has been sitting on my computer for too long and I had an itch to write on this story.<p>

I hope I haven't lost _all_ of you. I know it's been a very long time but life has kicked me in the butt lately and I just haven't had the oomph to write. A creative writing class this semester has kicked me into gear and hopefully I'll stay there. I'm excited for this fic as I have plans and we're finally getting there...

**_Please, if you're still with me, let me know by reviewing._** Also, as a matter of opinion, would you all prefer this to stay strictly serious, or do you enjoy my fits of (hopefully) humorous content (Like rabbit-shaped brownies and Hinata spilling flour all over our favorite Uchiha?).


	7. The Doubt

_Hey guys! I was mega inspired by all of the thoughtful reviews. I'm thrilled that so many of you are still with me and newbies too! I wanted to get this out sooner to you guys but my internet was down and I couldn't bring myself to type 3,000 words on my phone -_- _

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><p><strong><em>Contrived Flaws<em>**

_Chapter Seven: The Doubt_

* * *

><p>Itachi and Hinata fell into a routine over the next several weeks. Their having dinner together like that first week was a rare occasion. More often, Itachi was away on a mission and Hinata ate alone, or with her family. They occupied the same house, but that was the extent of their interaction. Itachi did not ask questions of her, and she did not inquire of him.<p>

Shockingly, life married to the Uchiha was not so different as it had been before. Her time was divided amongst training and political duties and she saw Hanabi and Neji more often than not.

She was gradually introduced to more responsibility in her clan, even as she was trained in Uchiha politics. Mikoto was often her tutor and she enjoyed their time spent together. Her approach to schooling Hinata in the clan's ways was very down to earth and often humorous. She found that she looked forward to their sessions.

Another of her favorite things was training with her team. She had already missed one mission with them, because of her inability to leave the country, but she hadn't minded much at the time. It had been a mere two weeks after she had married Itachi and frankly she had still been freaking out about living with him.

Okay, maybe she was still freaking out about it, but she had toned it down a bit.

As it was, she was currently missing a workout with her team because she was stuck in a meeting with her clan. They were discussing the issue of kicking a branch family member off of the compound. Honestly, Hinata was all for it. The man in question had already been found in an inappropriate situation with two young Hyuuga girls. She wondered how long they could possibly discuss the matter. She just wanted to cast her vote and get the heck out of there.

"Hinata," her father addressed her, causing her body to snap to attention. "What is your opinion on the matter at hand?"

She swallowed. He was testing her, she knew. For a moment she found herself wondering what Mikoto would say. She had placed a great emphasis on all Uchiha's sharing a common goal. They all had the same ideals, she had said. Hinata dipped her head to her chin. She did not think she could meet her father's eyes. "I b-believe that if an individual does not b-behave like a Hyuuga, he should not l-live l-like one."

She was secretly proud of herself and she allowed herself a small glance at her father. He nodded, seemingly satisfied, and moved on to another.

A short while later they voted the family member off of the compound. Hinata waited, as was proper, for her turn to leave the meeting hall. She was anxious and full of energy. She needed out and she needed to train.

A large hand landed on her shoulder just as she was making her escape, "You did well, Hinata," her father said. She almost smiled in that moment. It was the nicest thing her father had said to her in a very long time. And then he added, "The Uchiha must be rubbing off on you."

She forced a smile and a thank you. When she got out of the hall she ran all the way to the training grounds.

She almost collided with Kiba when she got there. At some point she should've stopped running blindly but it had felt so good to let go. Her fate was left to chance and if chance wanted her to mow Kiba down, she was okay with that.

"Whoa, easy Hinata," he said, catching her as she flew past him. He saved her from tumbling to the ground.

She hung onto him for a few moments before stepping back. Her face was flushed red from the cold and she realized now that she hadn't even put her coat on.

"Is everything alright?" Shino asked, coming up beside her.

She nodded, glanced around, "Did I miss training?"

"By this much," Kiba said, holding his thumb and forefinger out in a minuscule measurement. "But we're going to see Hana's new pups."

Hinata brightened considerably at the news, "Hana's puppies," she said breathlessly. "I completely forgot." Kiba had been excited a couple of weeks prior when a new litter had been born into his clan. Hinata had been distracted and busy, and wasn't able to go see them.

"Well, you've had a lot on your plate," Kiba said with a grin.

* * *

><p>Itachi struggled to focus during the clan meeting. His mind was alight with many thoughts, running many scenarios. On top of both his meeting with the Hokage this morning, and the meeting he was presently in, something was gnawing at him. He had a troubling feeling that he was going about his marriage with Hinata the wrong way.<p>

He wasn't sure what led him to believe this, it was more of a _feeling_ than anything else. The fact of the matter was, he was behaving precisely how his father would. That did little to comfort him.

All he knew about being a husband he'd learned from his father. But Hinata was not his mother, she was much more… he mentally searched for a word… fragile.

Still, he felt as though some reassurance was in order. Though whom to confide in was certainly a quandary. He was reluctant to seek his father's council for two reasons: One, he did not want his father to know he was doubting himself, and two, he already knew his father would agree with his course of action.

The thought of consulting his mother sounded no less bleak. She would no doubt disagree with his treatment of Hinata, but whether her advice would be useful he wasn't sure. It would most likely be far too… _soft _for his liking.

By now he had completely lost track of the meeting's agenda and worse, Shisui was sending him inquisitive glances. He narrowed his eyes fractionally, hoping his friend would get the message. The last thing he needed was his father calling upon him.

It was then that he realized he must be going crazy. How many times had he chastised Sasuke for not paying attention to clan business, and here he was mulling over his personal problems. His _insignificant_ personal problems, no less.

With a cleansing breath he pushed the worrisome thoughts from his mind and focused on the matter at hand.

When he finally escaped the meeting hall, he wanted nothing more than to meditate for a few hours. With this in mind, he quietly trotted through the main house and out the back.

"Itachi," he heard his mother's voice ring out from the garden. He grimaced, considered pretending he hadn't heard her, after all, he was some ways away. But no, he couldn't do that to his mother. With an inward sigh, he veered off the path and wound his way through the garden to where she was kneeling.

Somehow, despite the fact that it was Winter, Mikoto had managed to coax a few plants to life. When she saw her son, she stood and dusted herself off. "Where are you sneaking off to?" she asked.

"I wasn't sneaking," he said.

"You were going to leave without saying anything to your mother?" she placed a hand over her heart in mock pain.

"Is there something you needed from me, mother?"

She smiled, reached forward and took his hand with her own, dirty one. She was probably the only person in the world who could touch Itachi without making him uncomfortable. "Tell me, dear, how is Hinata?"

"Do you not speak with her regularly?" he asked.

"Itachi," her voice was stern this time, "I'm asking _you_. How are things going?"

He had anticipated this moment and prepared a response. Though now, looking into his mother's face, he considered consulting her. He felt as though he needed advice. But no, he still needed to think on it. "As well as can be expected."

She smiled softly and he was sure he was out of the woods, but Mikoto was far more clever than her genius son ever gave her credit for. "Wonderful. You'll be having dinner with us this evening - Sasuke, your father, and I."

Itachi's mouth opened to reply, but his mother squeezed his hand. Hard. "It's not open for discussion, dear."

"Yes, mother," he replied.

* * *

><p>Hinata was covered in puppy hair and puppy kisses but she felt refreshed and content as she made her way across the Uchiha compound. She was ready to sit in a very hot tub of water and soak away the rest of the afternoon. It was with this distracting thought in mind that she rounded a corner and slammed into a very solid chest. She was making a habit of running into people today.<p>

Startled, she jumped back, hoping to Kami it wasn't Fugaku. Or Sasuke. But seeing the hard look on the man's face, she realized it was worse. "I-Itachi."

To her surprise, his face softened as he looked down at her, "Hinata, I was just looking for you."

She was shocked that he wasn't berating her, and as a result, found herself unable to form a response. Instead, she bore a rather unattractive resemblance to a fish out of water.

"My mother has requested ou-" he paused and sniffed the air, "Do I smell… dog?"

Hinata flushed red almost instantly, "I-I was playing with H-Hana's new litter." It sounded somehow… juvenile, when she said it aloud.

He blinked, then waved his hand in the air as if to say, "Nevermind." He continued, "My mother has requested our presence at dinner this evening."

Her stomach dropped at the news. Mikoto she had no problem with. But Fugaku, Sasuke. Together. She schooled her expression into more of a dumb stare than anything else. Still, it was an improvement from the grimace she was containing. Apparently it was still not the response Itachi was looking form.

"In which case I suggest you go and wash the _dog_ off of yourself," he said pointedly.

She nodded and made her way toward the house rather glumly.

* * *

><p>"If my mother asks, we're doing well," Itachi called out from the other room.<p>

Hinata wrung her hands together nervously. Itachi was making her tense, feeding her lines and information. Say this, don't say that.

She stepped through the doorway to catch his eye, "Y-you're making m-me nervous."

"Try not to stutter in front of my father," he added as he finished securing his hair back.

She was offended for a moment before something dawned on her. She moved around in front of him and smiled softly.

He frowned.

"You're nervous, aren't you?" she asked bravely.

Itachi's frown deepened. "With all due respect, Hinata-sama, you have no idea what you're speaking of." He brushed past her, effectively ending the conversation.

Despite their limited interaction, Hinata had already learned that when Itachi added an honorific to her name, it meant she had crossed some sort of line, however invisible it seemed.

She sighed, but secretly, she decided she was right.

* * *

><p>Dinner was grueling. Itachi seemed to transform under his father's watchful gaze. It reminded Hinata of herself with her own father. He became even more distant, like an air of pride and superiority clouded around him. It was almost as if he turned into Fugaku. Frankly, it scared Hinata. There was something about the Uchiha clan head that didn't sit well with her and being married to his protege worried her in an especially deep place.<p>

To make matters worse, Sasuke was set on pretending that she didn't exist and Mikoto was studiously pretending that Sasuke hadn't taken this attitude.

Fugaku seemed oblivious to the obvious tensions at the table, though Hinata doubted that was the case. Instead, he was mercilessly questioning Itachi on everything from training to missions to clan matters as Sasuke's scowl deepened with every question.

To say that Hinata was uncomfortable would be a huge understatement. Thankfully, she was plenty busy trying to eat gracefully and being relieved that no one was calling upon her.

Until, of course, Mikoto took advantage of her husband's pause to issue her own question. "Hinata, how have you been getting along? Are you settling into the new house alright?"

Hinata squeezed her chopsticks tightly. She shot a worried glance at Itachi. "V-very well," she managed. Short and sweet would be least likely to get her into trouble, she decided.

Itachi inwardly cringed as she spoke. He saw his father's attention shift to the Hyuuga heiress. He narrowed his eyes fractionally at Sasuke, and hoped he got the idea. They had a system, the Uchiha brothers, of diverting their parents attention off of one another if need be.

The younger Uchiha rolled his eyes, but complied. "Father, Kakashi-sensei says that he'll sponsor me for ANBU."

Fugaku briefly glanced at Sasuke, "We have a guest," he said, as if they shouldn't discuss such things. As if he hadn't just been engaging in a similar conversation with Itachi.

"Hypocrite," Sasuke muttered under his breath before shrugging a single shoulder at Itachi.

Fugaku zeroed in on the heiress. "Tell us Hinata, how is my son treating you?"

The Hyuuga girl bit down on her lip. It was a trick question, a lose-lose situation. She would stutter, there was no way around that. Fugaku's expectant gaze was making sure of that. The best she could do was stick with her own advice: Short and sweet.

"P-p-perfectly well, Fugaku-s-sama," she punctuated her statement with a smile and hoped that it didn't look too forced.

Sasuke took the pause in conversation to cough into his hand. It sounded suspiciously like, "Liar."

Mikoto placed a hand on her younger son's shoulder, "If you're feeling unwell, Sasuke, you may be excused."

He seemed to consider a moment before taking the opportunity and fleeing the table. The traitorous bastard.

By some great power, Fugaku seemed to be satisfied with her answer and instead busied himself with eating, leaving Mikoto to carry the conversation. Hinata reached for her glass of water, hoping it would cool her from the inside.

"Well, I hope you're getting enough sleep, dear," Mikoto continued, as if she'd never really stopped, "I know how fitful of a sleeper Itachi can be."

The Hyuuga choked on her beverage, but valiantly contained every last drop inside her mouth. Did all Uchiha just wait until she had liquid in her mouth to say ridiculous things?

Beside her, Itachi's eyes widened a negligible fraction. "Mother," he said flatly, hoping to dissuade her from this line of conversation.

But the damage was done. Fugaku tuned back in, leaning forward slightly. "Yes, have you two consummated your marriage yet?" He asked it so casually that Hinata had to do a double take. Did he just ask if they had slept together… over dinner?

Itachi's eyes closed momentarily, but it was long enough to answer his father's question, however unintentionally.

"Ah, I see," Fugaku said, sounding mildly disappointed. "I would not put it off too much longer if I were you."

Itachi managed a curt nod before glancing at his wife beside him. She looked very nearly on the verge of fainting.

He reached under the table and squeezed her hand - the one that was presently gripping her knee for dear life - and silently begged her to stay conscious for a little while longer.

"Mother, father, thank you for dinner," he said, standing and dragging Hinata up with him.

She wobbled slightly and he swiftly pulled her against his side for support. "Th-thank you," she managed, giving a slight bow.

"We really must be going," Itachi continued.

Mikoto attempted to stop them with promises of dessert, but Itachi kept going.

Once they were outside, he released the heiress and continued walking along without a word.

Yet again, Hinata felt the need to apologize. "I-I'm sorry," she muttered, trudging along beside him.

"Do not apologize for my parent's imprudence," he replied.

"I-I know you wanted to impress y-your father with how well we're doing," she pushed.

Itachi didn't answer and they continued the walk home in silence.

"I'm leaving on a mission tomorrow," he said when they finally arrived. "I may be gone for a couple of weeks."

He realized he had a lot to do, this was the longest mission he had set off on since marrying Hinata. He needed to talk to Shisui, he had made a firm decision on that. He needed to talk Sasuke into shielding Hinata from his father, which would not be an easy task. He wasn't sure if Fugaku would take advantage of his being gone, but he didn't need him grilling Hinata when he wasn't there.

He made a mental checklist as they stepped into the inviting warmth of their home. Hinata let out a small, "Oh."

"I'll be gone in the morning," he added, watching her closely.

She shifted back and forth on her feet, a sign that Itachi had learned meant she was anxious about something. "Be… be safe." She looked up at him through her eyelashes and Itachi almost smiled.

"I will," he said solemnly.

Unsure of what to do, Hinata turned and headed for her bedroom. Itachi stopped her, "Hinata."

She turned around. Itachi ran a hand through his hair, loosening the tie. "Goodnight," he said.

Hinata let out a breath of air, "Goodnight."

* * *

><p><em>Short, I know...<em>

_Alright, next chapter… Itachi talks to Shisui, heads out on his mission. What will Sasuke do while he's gone? How about Fugaku? Gasp!_

_What do you think Shisui will say?_

_Next Update... Soon, hopefully... Let's aim for thanksgiving-ish..._


	8. The Absence

**Contrived Flaws**

_Chapter Eight : The Absence _

* * *

><p>After checking to make sure Hinata was safely asleep in her bed, Itachi grabbed the supplies he needed for his mission and stalked out of the house. First stop: His little brother's room. Not wanting to risk running into his parents after that atrocious excuse for a dinner, Itachi decided that entering through the window would suffice.<p>

He landed silently inside and waited patiently for Sasuke to turn around.

"What the- Itachi!"

The older Uchiha looked irritated at his outburst. "Could you lower your voice, little brother?"

"Use the door next time, asshole." Sasuke crossed his arms and glared.

Ignoring him, Itachi continued, "I need you to do something for me."

"What do I get out of it?"

The older brother let out a small sigh, "I haven't even revealed what it is."

"Something to do with the wifey, no doubt," Sasuke said curtly.

"So clever, little brother. I need you to watch out for her while I'm away; Keep father away from her."

"Right," Sasuke snapped his fingers together, "So what do I get out of it?"

"The eternal thanks of your older brother?"

"Pass."

If Itachi had been anyone else, he would've rolled his eyes right then. "What do you want, little brother?"

"Hmm," Sasuke tapped a finger to his chin, "I'll need to think on it."

Itachi pressed his fingertips to his forehead, "I'm in a bit of a hurry."

"Well… let's just say you owe me one."

The elder Uchiha considered this for a moment. He didn't like the sound of it, but he had no doubt that he could handle his little brother, "Very well."

"Excellent. You have nothing to worry about then, I'll babysit little _Hinata-chan_ for you."

Itachi gave him a pointed look before departing the way he came in.

* * *

><p>"Hey Hinata, how's it going?" Kiba stood patiently on her doorstep, but he didn't seem his usual self. He wasn't smiling, he seemed somber.<p>

"Kiba-kun, please, come in," She gestured for him to come inside and they sat together on the couch.

"Missing the hubby?" he asked with a forced looking grin.

"Um, I guess," she said unsurely, "It's only been a few days."

"Well," Kiba said, reaching inside his jacket, "I brought you some company." He pulled out a white ball of fur which turned out to be a puppy.

Hinata cooed as she took it in her arms, "It's my favorite one." She cuddled the puppy to her chest, stroking its brown ears between her fingers. The pup snuggled up to her neck and stayed very still.

Kiba watched intently for a few moments before speaking, "Hana says there's something wrong with her."

The heiress stopped stroking the puppy and glanced at her team mate. "What?"

"She says that she's deaf and blind. Won't make a ninken, it'd be too dangerous."

Hinata looked down at the puppy sadly, "Aww, what will she do, then?"

"She'll just be a companion."

"Sweet little girl," Hinata murmured into the pup's fur.

"I thought that maybe… ," Kiba hesitated, "I know she was your favorite when you came to see the pups."

"M-me? You want me to have her?"

The Inuzuka boy shrugged, "I thought you should know first. She's ready to leave her mom."

Hinata's face scrunched up in thought. "I don't know what Itachi would say," she said worriedly. She tried to pull the puppy away from her neck and it whimpered loudly, so she settled it back down and patted it softly.

Kiba grinned, for real this time, "She's attached already. How can you say no?"

The heiress chewed on her lip for a minute, "I guess I could see-" she started.

"Perfect!" Kiba said excitedly. "You two are perfect for each other."

Hinata still looked unsure.

"If it's a problem, I can take her back to Hana."

She nodded.

"I'll bring some food by later and if you need any help with her just let me know."

After she saw Kiba out, Hinata sat back in a chair and sighed. The puppy's warmth was intoxicating. She could feel its little heart beating against her neck.

"Poor thing," she murmured, placing a kiss on its head. "We must take special care to keep you safe, little one."

* * *

><p>Itachi was not necessarily in a foul mood, for he didn't let non-mission related things affect missions. It was just that he was a little ticked at Shisui. His cousin had proved less helpful than he'd hoped. In fact, he had primarily laughed at him.<p>

Itachi did not like being laughed at.

His fists clenched at his sides, then he forced himself to take a deep breath. _Focus_, he told himself. Ninja should not be married for this very reason, he mused.

It had taken humility to admit he needed help with his marriage and that arrogant-

_Stop_, he scolded himself. _You're better than this. Focus._

He barked orders at his squad to settle for the night. They would not make a fire, no one could know they were there. They would hide in the shadows of the trees, sleep in their boughs.

And he would rest his mind. He could not believe that these insignificant things were crowding his thoughts at such an important time.

But Shisui, that unsympathetic bastard, had said one puzzling thing: "Have you fallen in love with her yet?" He had chuckled as he said it, like it was an inevitable thing. Like Itachi was the naive one.

His cousin's absurd question echoed around in his mind. He scoffed. As if he was expected to fall in love with her. He would do no such thing. There were plans, Hinata was required for them, that was all.

His desire to treat his wife well was no more an expression of love than anything else he tried to do properly. When he pierced someone with his katana he wanted it straight through the center of their heart. That did not mean that he loved doing it.

Shisui was the naive one. At best, he tolerated Hinata. He would never allow himself to be slave to such a foolish emotion as love. It was out of the question.

Besides, Hinata was practically frightened of him.

Still, the problem remained, Shisui had not been kind enough to advise him.

"You are a better man than your father will ever be," he'd said, "Do not worry." That was, perhaps, the only thing he'd said with a straight face.

Itachi closed his eyes. He would forget all of this, he needed to. A little meditation and he would be back to his old self. Mission oriented, not concerned with the petty emotions of others. He deepened his breathing and flushed his mind of everything but the mission. He needed to focus, this was an important one.

* * *

><p>Hinata hummed to herself as she sorted through the laundry. She still hadn't gotten used to doing Itachi's laundry with hers. In fact, he always made sure to do his own, but since he was away on a mission, she decided to take care of his bin as well.<p>

Hopefully it would help offset the fact that she had acquired a puppy while he was gone.

She thought not, however. It was more likely that he would never notice a little clean laundry when there was a ball of white fur skittering about.

A knock at the door made her jump. Just the thought of Itachi waltzing inside made her cringe. She grabbed the pup from her place on a pile of dirty laundry and tucked her up under her arm as she made her way to the door.

"S-Sasuke?" She swallowed involuntarily. She knew that there was no chance Itachi was lurking in the shadows waiting to save her this time. She was on her own.

"Aren't you gonna invite me in?" The younger Uchiha said irritably.

"Oh," she stepped aside and let him come in. "What b-brings you here?" She asked as nicely as possible.

Sasuke had already plopped onto the couch and was lounging quite comfortably when she turned around.

"What? I can't visit my favorite sister in law?"

"Y-You could if you h-had one," Hinata said defiantly.

"Nonsense- is that a dog?" Sasuke sat up and leaned forward, examining the thing that was now cuddled up to Hinata's neck.

"Yes," she said, turning away protectively.

"Is it yours?"

"W-Well-"

Sasuke let out a bark of laughter, interrupting her. "Itachi's gonna kill you," he said casually, leaning back again. Hinata looked worried, making the Uchiha smirk. "Can I watch?"

"H-He won't k-kill me," she said, but there wasn't much conviction in her words.

"Well I'm convinced."

Hinata shifted on her feet, "W-Will he r-really?"

"He'll be pissed, that's for sure. Come here, let me see it."

Hesitantly the heiress made her way toward Sasuke. He sat up, shifting to make room for her.

"What'd you name it?" He asked, gently stroking the ball of fur.

"Heiwa. She's a girl."

"Nice. That should score you some points."

"What?"

"Nevermind. Can I hold her?"

Hinata looked unsure, "Really?"

"Yes," Sasuke sounded exasperated. "I'm not going to eat her."

Hinata did not look convinced, but handed Heiwa over anyway.

"Why are you r-really here?" The heiress asked as she watched Sasuke closely. He seemed to be acting like a normal human being for now and was only holding the pup.

"Just thought I'd check on you."

Hinata eyed him, "Truly?"

"Yeah, I can be nice when I want to," he said as though she should know this.

She didn't feel like agreeing with him so she said, "Why does Itachi hate dogs?"

"He doesn't that I know of." Sasuke glanced around, "I'd like some tea."

"Then why will he kill me?" She ignored him.

"For the same reason I don't have tea."

Hinata looked confused, "What?"

"Get me some tea and I'll tell you," he smirked.

Hinata bit back a sigh and disappeared into the kitchen, throwing one last protective glance at Heiwa.

When she returned, Sasuke had Heiwa on the floor and was waving his fingers at her in an attempt to play.

"I think your puppy is defective."

"She's blind," Hinata said, placing the tray of tea on the coffee table and scooping Heiwa up.

"You're not helping yourself any," he sat back on the couch.

Hinata decided against telling him she was also deaf and instead she asked again, "Why will Itachi kill me?"

Sasuke chuckled a little to himself. "Well... What does getting a puppy while your husbands gone and not getting me tea have in common?" Nothing wrong with watching her squirm a bit, he thought.

Hinata chewed on her lip as Sasuke helped himself to the tea, obviously not planning on being of any assistance.

"I have no idea," she said at last.

"You're a terrible wife," he replied bluntly.

Hinata looked stricken. "I-I am? How?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes, looking less sympathetic than normal. "Itachi won't be pissed you got a blind dog, he'll be pissed you did it without asking him."

"But... K-Kiba..." She stopped short, no excuse would sound acceptable to her hears or his. "You're right, I-I'm not very g-good at this."

Sasuke smirked.

"What does t-tea have to do with anything."

"As an Uchiha's wife, your hostess skills are seriously lacking."

"Only with y-you," she muttered.

Sasuke shot her a glare that said, "I heard that."

Ignoring him, she absentmindedly patted Heiwa as Sasuke sipped his tea. The pup's whimpering tugged her from her thoughts.

"Does I-Itachi say that about me? T-That I'm a terrible wife?"

The younger Uchiha seemed to be considering something, then said, "Itachi's not one for gossip."

"But h-he thinks it?"

"How the hell should I know," he snapped. Then he set his tea down and said, In a much calmer tone, "I'll tell you what though, I like your little handicapped puppy so I'll help you out."

Hinata looked skeptical, "How?"

"I'll convince him to let you keep her."

"How will y-you do that?"

"I have ways," he said cryptically.

Hinata considered this for a moment. "You want something," she finally said.

Sasuke looked at her in mock shock, "I ask nothing of you. It's merely a favor. Perhaps someday you can do me one."

Hinata was wary. She didn't trust Sasuke. She wasn't even sure she trusted Itachi. But she did trust Neji.

"Can I think about it?"

Sasuke stood, set his tea cup down, and dusted something imaginary from his shoulder. "Take your time." He knew the odds of her agreeing would only increase with time. She was bound to grow more fond of that dog every day.

* * *

><p>"Neji-niisan, open up." Hinata pounded on her cousin's door again in a rather unladylike manner.<p>

A very irate looking Neji opened the door after a few more agonizing seconds. He snatched the heiress by the arm, tugged her inside, and slammed the door behind her.

Crossing his bare arms over his equally bare chest, he said, "_What_?"

Hinata's cheeks tinged pink, "Sorry," she averted her eyes as her shirtless cousin finished dressing.

After he'd finished, Neji looked a bit calmer. "Is something the matter, Hinata-sama?"

She danced nervously on her feet, "I need your advice." And she told him of how she'd acquired a puppy, leaving out the unimportant bit about her being blind and deaf, of course.

"You didn't," he said flatly.

She nodded.

"Give it back."

"I can't! I... She's..."

"Hinata, if you've ever listened to me do so now. Give the dog back to Kiba."

"I don't want to," she said, pouting a bit like a small child.

"Kami, Hinata, it's just a dog."

"That's not what I wanted your advice about," she said defiantly, "Sasuke said he would convince Itachi to let me keep-"

Before she could even finish her sentence, Neji was saying no. "Absolutely not. I will not have you in that Uchiha's debt."

"But-"

Neji fixed her with a stern look. The kind that said he would physically stop her if need be.

The heiress visibly deflated. That was obviously not what she wanted to hear. She nodded her head stiffly, "Fine, I'll just have to convince him myself."

"Hinata, there is more at stake than your feelings. You must not forget that." Neji tried to be gentle but his tone held that bite that her father's did. The one that said, "_You know better! You have responsibilities."_

"I'm sick of putting my feelings aside for everyone else!" She wailed. "Why can't I have something, just this once?"

Neji took a deep breath, hoping to calm her. He didn't know what to say, really. They had both made sacrifices and they would both make more. It was part of being a Hyuuga, a ninja.

"You must understand where Itachi-sama is coming from. He will view your actions as traitorous, undermining his authority."

"Yes, I know," she said, on the verge of tears now, "I'm a terrible wife."

Neji looked like she had slapped him in the face. "Who said that?" He demanded, "Itachi?"

"N-No," she said, taking a shaky breath to rein in her tears.

"Sasuke," he growled. It wasn't a question. "I'm going to-"

"He's right."

Neji blinked in mild astonishment as Hinata continued. "He was right to tell me. He was only helping."

The elder Hyuuga shook his head, "I did not think you this naive Hinata-sama. Sasuke does not mean to help, he means to tear you down."

"He's been more help than you have!"

"Do not be foolish," he berated. "Uchiha Sasuke is a trickster. He helps no one but himself."

Hinata was shaking her head vigorously, "This conversation is over."

As she was leaving, Neji called after her, "If you trust him you will regret it."

* * *

><p>Itachi had been gone over three weeks now. Hinata would be lying if she said she hadn't enjoyed living alone in that time.<p>

She and Heiwa had gotten used to each other by now. It had taken some trial and ingenuity but Hinata had devised a method for helping Heiwa to map out the house.

When Kiba came back by he had passed on Hana's advice of using the puppy's functioning senses for training. With this in mind, she devised a plan.

She began by rearranging the furniture so that it was primarily on the walls. Then she took the mat out of the kitchen - the evil one she'd tripped on during the egg escapade - and placed it in front of Heiwa's food and water. That way she would know it was coming by the feel of the mat on her paws and hopefully she wouldn't bump into it.

Next, she took one of her scarves, sprayed it with lavender perfume, and tied it on the back door hoping it would help with the housebreaking process.

Seeing that the mat worked well, she took more from various places in the house and put them at the front and back doors as well as the entrance to her own room.

Finally, she cordoned off a small area in the kitchen that was one hundred percent safe if she needed to put her away to leave or be unsupervised for any other reason.

Heiwa had turned out to be a surprisingly quick learner. She could already manage her way around the house without bumping into things except on rare occasions. She was getting the concept of looking up whenever someone tapped the floor hard enough the feel the vibrations. And she was even starting to grasp the idea of going to the mat at the back door when she needed to potty.

Granted, she had relieved herself _on the mat_ a few times, but the progress remained.

Today, Hinata had taken one of her old shirts and cut it up into strips. She then tied the strips together to make a rope bone of sorts. She left her natural scent on it so that Heiwa could find it.

She was presently on the floor playing with the pup who was jumping around and growling in a rather endearing manner. There was no doubt she had gotten quite attached over the last few weeks.

Hinata started when the front door rattled. It was being unlocked, which meant it was Itachi getting home. She glanced worriedly at the puppy before going to the door to greet him.

"Itachi," she smiled brightly as he stepped inside, perhaps a little too brightly.

He looked terribly haggard, his already pronounced tear troughs looked like caverns carved deep into his face. His brow was knitted together and he blinked slowly as he took in Hinata's face.

"Hinata, you are well," It was clearly not a question. He dropped his rucksack and closed the door behind him. He looked like he was about to say something, but then his nose lifted ever so slightly as he sniffed the air.

"Do I smell… dog again?" He looked Hinata up and down before deciding it wasn't her. "Is there a dog in here?" His voice had taken on a stern quality, as he pushed past his fatigue.

Hinata stepped in front of him, "Itachi w-wait it-wait!" He stepped around her, searching the living room.

She grabbed his arm, "Kiba jus- wait!" He shook free of her grip and continued his search. It only took a moment for him to zero in on the white furball on the floor by the chair.

"Is that a dog?" he asked, pointing at it. It sounded like more of a scolding than a question.

Hinata swallowed roughly, averting her gaze to the floor. She nodded.

"Why is there a dog in my house?" He asked with deliberate intensity. He was upset, obviously.

"W-well wh-what hap-happened-"

Itachi let out a low growl, causing Hinata to jump slightly. She wasn't sure she had ever seen him this upset. And over a dog?

"Kibabroughtherforcompany!" her words tumbled over each other in an incomprehensible mess.

"Kiba?" he snarled.

Hinata nodded rapidly.

Itachi closed his eyes and took a forced breath. "I'm going to go take a shower, Hinata-sama. That dog better not be here when I return, do you understand?"

"But-"

"Do you understand?" he repeated as if he was talking to a small child. Hinata hated it.

She refused to answer, instead she picked Heiwa up and left.

It was evening, the sun was sinking behind the barren trees. Hinata trudged through the snow, not minding the cold at all. Her anger had heated her up. How could Itachi be so unreasonable? She wanted to scream.

Her furious stomping found her at the Uchiha main house. Why had she come here? To talk with Mikoto. No.

She bit the inside of her cheek as she considered. With a self-affirming nod, she tucked Heiwa inside her coat and knocked on the door.

To her surprise, the person she wished to speak with answered. "Sasuke," she said without a stutter.

He didn't seem surprised at all. "I heard Itachi was back. How did that go?" He seemed smug.

Hinata's anger came flooding back, "He's completely… he's-" she let out a strangled noise. "He wouldn't even let me speak!"

Sasuke nodded calmly like he'd expected nothing less. "Well, do not let me keep you. Did you come here to speak with my mother?"

She hesitated, "Um, no. I came to speak with you."

"Oh?"

"I want your help."

* * *

><p><em>Uh oh.<em>

_Hey guys, sorry this is a week late. I decided to go back and add a bit more in some places. _

_Hope you enjoyed! Review and let me know what you think. _

_Next Update: Uhmmm not sure, I'm aiming for the next few weeks because I've got finals coming up and all. I'll do my best!_


	9. The Nightmares

_Wow, it's been awhile, I know. What can I say?_

* * *

><p><strong>Contrived Flaws <strong>

_Chapter 9: The Nightmares_

* * *

><p><em>Last time...<em>

* * *

><p><em>Her furious stomping found her at the Uchiha main house. Why had she come here? To talk with Mikoto. No.<em>

_She bit the inside of her cheek as she considered. With a self-affirming nod, she tucked Heiwa inside her coat and knocked on the door._

_To her surprise, the person she wished to speak with answered. "Sasuke," she said without a stutter._

_He didn't seem surprised at all. "I heard Itachi was back. How did that go?" He seemed smug._

_Hinata's anger came flooding back, "He's completely… he's-" she let out a strangled noise. "He wouldn't even let me speak!"_

_Sasuke nodded calmly like he'd expected nothing less. "Well, do not let me keep you. Did you come here to speak with my mother?"_

_She hesitated, "Um, no. I came to speak with you."_

_"Oh?"_

_"I want your help."_

Sasuke openly smirked, "Okay."

She waited, but he said nothing more. That's it? she wondered.

As if reading her mind, or perhaps her expression, he said, "You'd better get back home or you'll make things worse. I'll take care of it."

She smiled then, cautiously, "Thank you so much." Then she was off.

She felt lighter on the walk home. It was taken care of, he'd said so. And who knew Itachi better than his own brother? She would be able to keep Heiwa, she was sure.

When she walked inside their home, she was surprised to learn that Itachi was still in the shower. She felt like she'd been gone longer.

She carefully removed Heiwa from her coat and deposited the pup safely in her room. Then she paced the hallway lightly, anxious about Itachi emerging from the bathroom.

As she did so, she began to doubt her actions. Was she wrong to go behind Itachi's back? It wasn't as if she did it on purpose, it was just that he wasn't here, she reasoned.

But was she wrong to go to Sasuke? Her cousin had warned her, but Sasuke seemed genuine, she thought. But then, he had threatened her quite severely before the wedding.

She didn't realize she was chewing so harshly on her lip until she tasted blood. It was metallic and reminded her of days training with her father that she'd rather forget.

Then the shower cut off and she froze. She wasn't giving in exactly, but perhaps Sasuke had been right about her being a poor wife. She straightened up and sucked the blood off of her lip just as the door opened.

Itachi appeared with only a towel wrapped around his waist. He paused to take in Hinata, who was standing in his path.

"Did you need something, Hinata-sama?"

An honorific, she noted. So he was still angry. She twisted her fingers painfully behind her back.

"H-How was your mission?" she asked, not moving from her position in the middle of the hallway.

He blinked rapidly and she detected a bit of irritation. Perhaps she should wait until he was rested.

With a sigh, he responded, "You know very well that I am not at liberty to discuss missions with you."

"But yo-you're okay?"

"Do I not look okay to you, Hinata?"

"Y-you do, I'm glad." It wasn't technically a lie. While she hadn't especially missed him, she was fairly certain that if he'd died she would've. A little.

"Wonderful," he said sardonically. Then gathering that she wasn't going to move on her own, he gently pushed her aside and continued to his room.

Hinata marveled at a side of him she hadn't seen. Was that… almost like sarcasm? Almost like Uchiha Itachi letting his serious side crack open and reveal a hint of something else?

* * *

><p>Hinata woke a short while after going to bed to a strange noise. She thought at first that it was Heiwa, but she flipped her bedside light on to see the pup sleeping soundly in its bed.<p>

Curious, she slid out of bed and padded into the hallway. To her left, she saw Itachi's door, cracked as it always was during the night.

She had never been brave enough to ask why a ninja like him would leave his door ajar while he slept, but tonight she used it to peek inside.

Sure enough, the strange sound was coming from within. The heiress sidled in the crack and let her eyes readjust to the darkness.

It took her a moment to realize that the sound was coming from Itachi himself. He had the blankets kicked to his feet and he was gripping the sheets beside him forcefully. He had a pained expression on his face and Hinata decided at once that it was her duty to wake him.

"Itachi," she whispered.

She didn't dare touch him for she had learned the hard way never to wake a ninja by touch. She had once woken Neji that way and had found herself on the floor with a knife to her throat before she could even muster a noise. He had been very angry at her, she recalled.

The Uchiha made no indication that he had heard her so she stepped closer, whispered louder, "Itachi."

"No," he muttered, "No." His body trembled.

Hinata leaned over him slightly, "Itachi, wake up," she said at a normal volume.

He lurched upright, his head colliding with Hinata's. They both grabbed at their throbbing skulls for a moment before Itachi broke the silence.

"What are you doing, Hinata?" He sounded more tired than cross.

"Y-You looked like y-you were having a nightmare," she whispered.

Itachi closed his eyes for a long moment, not a response.

Hinata sat down gingerly on the edge of his bed, looked at him with concern. "Are you okay?"

"Go back to sleep," he murmured, opening his eyes.

She almost did. She almost got up and left, like a good little wife, a good little heiress. But instead, she leaned toward him, and he backed away slightly making the moonlight streaming in from his window catch the edge of his face.

"You're crying... You were c-crying in your sleep," she whispered, seeing the moisture reflecting on his face.

"Go to bed," he said again. His voice sounded strained and Hinata frowned.

"What happened?" She asked against his will.

He scrubbed a hand down his face. "It's none of your concern." He pushed off the bed and disappeared into the bathroom, leaving Hinata alone on his bed.

Itachi braced himself on the bathroom counter and forced himself to look at his reflection in the mirror. Hinata was right, he had been crying in his sleep, dreaming a horrible dream. What was wrong with him?

He splashed his face with cool water several times, slowed the rapid beating of his heart. He was unsettled by his dream, undoubtedly. He hoped it hadn't shown in front of his wife.

The last mission had been a terrible one, it had taken a toll on him and he knew that he would not be sleeping again tonight.

* * *

><p>Hinata sat on Itachi's bed for a long while. At first, she told herself she was waiting on his return, but after a short while it became apparent he was not coming back.<p>

With a disappointed sigh, she returned to her room.

By then, Heiwa was awake and she scooped the puppy from its bed and cradled it in her arms.

"I don't understand," she whispered to herself and Heiwa. "Should I not try to help him?" She stroked the puppy's head rhythmically, "I can't... understand him."

* * *

><p>Hinata awoke early the next morning. It wasn't for lack of exhaustion, she had just slept rather fitfully after the evening and night before.<p>

She shuffled out of her room, with Heiwa at her heels, and noted that Itachi's door was closed.

She made her way to the kitchen and made coffee for her husband - A habit she thought wasn't very tasty. She hoped it was a placating gesture, though those never seemed to turn out well for her.

A knock at the door made her pause in her scan of potential breakfast foods. She glanced down the hallway, curious if Itachi would stir. There was no sign of movement, so she answered it herself.

It was Sasuke, who quickly pushed inside out of the cold wind.

"Morning," he said, "Do I smell coffee?"

"Yes, w-would you like some?"

He shook his head, "Its disgusting, I don't know how Itachi stands it. Speaking of which, is he here?"

She nodded, "Still in his r-room, as far as I know."

"_His_ room?"

Hinata swallowed. Was it secret that they didn't share? She didn't think so. She settled for nodding ambiguously.

They stared at each other a long moment, then Sasuke said, "Tea."

Hinata blushed slightly, "Oh! Would y-you like some tea?"

The Uchiha seemed to consider a moment, then, "Nah, I'll just go and have a chat with Itachi."

Hinata looked a bit flustered, but motioned to his brother's room.

Eager to get vengeance on Itachi for appearing through his own window, Sasuke barged in without knocking.

"Rise and shine," he said loudly, flipping the light on.

To his annoyance, Itachi was not asleep. Instead, he was sitting on his bed meditating.

"Good morning little brother," he responded flatly.

Sasuke sat on his bed with an unnecessary bounce. "How was your mission?"

"Fine," his standard answer.

"Your wife still doesn't offer me tea when I come over."

"I'll have to remember to praise her for that," Itachi let a rare smirk slip onto his face.

"Cute."

"To what do I owe the pleasure, little brother?" Itachi asked, standing now and stretching.

"Oh you know, just came to make sure my favourite brother wasn't dead. Or dying."

"As you can see, I am neither."

"Oh but that's where you're wrong, brother," Sasuke smirked.

Itachi stared at him mildly, waiting for him to go on.

"If mother hears about this little..." He paused and looked side to side mockingly, "_Puppy_ incident, she'll have your balls."

"You knew about the dog," was all he said.

Sasuke scoffed, "You're the one that asked me to check up on her. Of course I did."

"Did you put her up to it?"

"I'm touched you thought of me, but no. It was all her."

"It's still here, isn't it?"

"Yep."

Itachi massaged at his temples. "I overreacted," he muttered.

Sasuke stepped toward him, "What's that?" He said loudly. "Did the great Uchiha Itachi just admit he was wrong?"

"You are the one without humility, little brother."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Bottom line, she keeps the dog. If not, I'll tell mother you won't grant your sweet, little wife this one, harmless wish and... You can figure out the rest."

The younger Uchiha stood, looking quite smug.

Itachi blinked rapidly and pressed his fingers into his eyes. "Why the sudden change of heart?" He asked. "I thought you disliked Hinata."

Sasuke shrugged, his back already to his brother. "She's not so bad," was all he said, then left.

Itachi smiled ever so slightly, shook his head. Sasuke was really something.

He smoothed his shirt down and tied his hair back. Whether his little brother blackmailed him or not, Itachi had behaved poorly the evening before, and he had an apology to make.

He came down the hallway and scanned the sitting area. It seemed his brother had vacated the house entirely.

He found Hinata in the kitchen, making herself some tea.

"Hinata," he tried to speak softly.

She didn't jump, just spun around to face him. "S-Sasuke left."

Itachi just nodded. "I want to apologize for my behavior last night."

Hinata's mind immediately jumped to his nightmare... Or whatever it was.

"I overreacted about the dog..." He cleared his throat, "Your puppy." Yes, that sounded better.

The heiress' eyes widened. Oh. "Y-You did? I mean... I can keep her?"

"I didn't say that."

Hinata's face fell.

Itachi sighed. "But yes."

She almost squealed. "Oh Heiwa, did you hear that?" She knelt down to pick up the puppy who had made itself comfortable at her feet.

"Did you say Heiwa?"

Hinata smiled, "Yeah, that's what I named her."

Itachi looked at her funny for a very long moment, like he'd lost something and was trying to find it in her mind. Then he said, "Why?"

"It's pretty, don't you think?"

"Yes."

She smiled back at him, evidently pleased he agreed with her.

Itachi reached out and touched the pup gently, barely.

Then Hinata shattered the moment with an exclamation. "Oh! I made you c-coffee."

She sat Heiwa on the mat in front of her food so she would know where she was. When she turned back around, Itachi was pouring his own cup.

Strangely, Hinata was a little disappointed. She really wanted to show everyone she could be an Uchiha wife, do something properly.

"Thank you, Hinata," Itachi's voice broke through her thoughts, made her smile.

"You're wel-welcome."

"So my brother and you seem to be getting along now," he said, sipping his coffee.

Fear jolted through her for a second. Did he know about the deal she made? Would he be mad if he did?

"Y-yeah I-I guess," she said, her eyes glued to the floor.

"That's good," was all he said before disappearing into the sitting room.

Hinata let out a breath of air, relaxed a little.

"Hinata!" Itachi called from the other room.

She straightened instantly. There was the tingling fear again. "Yes?" She asked as she walked that way.

"Why is the furniture moved around?" He must've been really tired last night not to notice.

She almost laughed. "Oh. Heiwa is...s-she can't see very w-well. I didn't want her to r-run into things."

"You're kidding," he said flatly.

She shook her head. And she's deaf, she added mentally, but didn't think she should dump so much on him so soon.

Without another word he melted into his usual chair with a pen and papers.

Mission report, Hinata thought. She had the overwhelming urge to sit near him, try to sneak a peek.

Something had happened, she had decided while she was awake last night. She resolved to find out. If not through Itachi, then some other way.

But before she could even begin to calculate the optimal place to sit and spy on Itachi, there was a knock at the door.

The Uchiha didn't even look up from his work, so Hinata moved to the door. She opened it to find Ino, Sakura, and Tenten.

Ino looked somewhat perturbed, next to a bright eyed Sakura. Tenten was hanging back behind the both of them.

"Stupid Uchiha's," Ino muttered.

Hinata saw Itachi perk up slightly at the insult. She wondered if she should be insulted too.

"Hi, Hinata," Sakura said brightly. "Don't mind Ino-pig, she's pissed cause her blonde charm couldn't get us in the compound and I could."

"Whatever, just cause you're teammates with Sasuke-kun," the blonde replied, flipping her hair.

Behind them, Tenten rolled her eyes.

"Wh-what brings you h-here?" Hinata asked, when there was a moment to speak.

"The puppy of course!" Sakura squealed. "I can't believe you didn't tell us."

"W-well-"

"Where's it at? Naruto said it only had one ear and was hairless," The medic continued.

"W-what?"

"Naruto's a retard," Ino interjected.

"How'd you f-find out?" Hinata asked, ushering them inside.

"Someone told Neji, who told your sister, who told Konohamaru, who told Naruto, who told Sakura," she explained.

"Yeah, for once you were left out of the gossip chain, pig," Sakura said dryly.

"Shut up, forehead."

"Good morning, Itachi-sama," Tenten said over them all. She was apparently the only one who noticed his presence.

"Good morning, ladies," he grunted, not lifting his eyes to look at them.

"Oh, _hello_ Itachi-sama," Ino purred.

He didn't respond.

"Heiwa is in the kitchen," Hinata said, hoping to save them all the awkwardness of trying to converse with Itachi.

As they approached the pup, she was settled on her rug, wrestling with a bone.

"Well, looks like it has two ears," Tenten commented.

"It's so cute!" Sakura crooned, "Is it a girl or boy?"

"Girl," Hinata said, gathering the pup in her arms for the other girls to see.

After they had swooned sufficiently over the puppy and expressed their sympathy for its handicap, they were all sipping cups of tea, when Ino spoke up. "So is this what you and Itachi do all day? Sit around and ignore each other?"

Hinata flushed red. She was certain he could hear them.

Panicking, she tried to usher them outside to 'see the garden,' which was, by the way, dead as a doorknob.

"Hell no, it's cold out there," Ino protested, not budging from her spot. "Oh I get it," she raised her voice, "You don't wanna talk about him when he can hear you." She smirked at the Hyuuga girl.

Beside her, Sakura snickered.

"Leave her be," Tenten said. She knew how difficult the clan types were and felt for Hinata.

Itachi appeared in the doorway, making Hinata yelp. He moved beside her and placed an arm around her waist. She was too shocked to move.

"If you'll excuse us, ladies, Hinata and I have things to do besides sit around and ignore each other." He turned his head and put his nose in her hair, keeping his gaze on the girls.

Hinata was so red that she honestly feared she may combust at any moment. The girls took her color as embarrassment about what Itachi was saying. In reality, it was based more on the proximity of him.

Ino chuckled knowingly, "Of course, we'll get out of your hair. Come on girls." She beckoned them and said they'd show themselves out.

"See you later," Tenten called before they heard the door shut.

Itachi still hadn't moved and Hinata was feeling faint.

"I-I-Itachi?"

"Mmm?"

"Wh-wha-"

Itachi interrupted her with a deep chuckle, she could feel his breath on her ear as he let go and stepped away. "I wanted those vapid girls out of my house."

An odd feeling traveled down Hinata's spine. One she immediately decided she liked.

She was frozen, dumbfounded. She barely heard what he said, she was so struck by the noise that had escaped him. A laugh. She was certain she had never heard him laugh and she was immediately consumed with the thought that she wanted to hear it again.

It was rich and beautiful and unmistakably male.

She suddenly felt embarrassed at such thoughts and put the brakes on. She shook her head slightly and realized that Itachi had already left the kitchen.

She was certain her cheeks were still roaring red as she stepped hesitantly into the living room.

Itachi was working on his paperwork as if he'd never stopped.

She stood in the doorway for several moments before retreating to her room.

She paced restlessly for minutes. Picking up things, placing them back down. She wasn't really paying attention to what she was doing. She was too busy chastising herself.

How could she be so quick to... to... to what? It wasn't like Itachi was the enemy. And what was it her sister was always saying? He was hotter than a flaming shuriken?

She giggled to herself. Hanabi could be downright silly sometimes. But maybe she had a point. Itachi was... Attractive. And he was her husband. Her feelings certainly weren't out of place.

But maybe she was overreacting altogether. She would've done the same thing if his brother had been up in her personal space that way. Of course, no one ever said he was anything less than attractive either.

She shook her head quickly. That was an inappropriate thought. She needed to get it together.

She glanced at the clock beside her bed and was relieved to see that it was time to go meet her team. They were leaving on a mission today, one that Hinata couldn't go on since they were leaving the country. Still, she would see them off, wish them luck.

Tenten was going as her replacement. Despite being a ranged fighter, she was the only one available. Neji was in ANBU now and Lee had begun teaching at the academy. That left the weapon's mistress as a sort of freelance ninja.

She wasn't jealous or anything, but it hurt to be replaced, even if she knew her feelings were illogical. They simply needed a three man team. But she knew there would be many more missions which she couldn't participate in, many more times she would be replaced.

Gathering herself, she made sure her cheeks had returned to their normal color before leaving her room. She let Itachi know where she was going and headed out.

And then she had a horrible thought: What if Tenten asked her what she and Itachi did when they left?

She almost turned around and went back. Her team would understand, right? Shino would. Tenten was questionable. And Kiba, he would likely come find her, yell at her, then ask her what was the matter. It would make the whole ordeal of being replaced worse than it already was.

She would simply bare the questions if they arose. She would have to get used to such ideas anyway, she _was_ going to be married to Itachi for a very long time. And those topics came up, and consummation, and heirs, and she was going to be sick if she didn't stop thinking.

She sucked in a deep breath of the chilly air and let it sober her. One step at a time, she told herself. For now, Itachi didn't even want her company half the time. And she was okay with that. She was more than okay with that.

She arrived at the village gates well before her team. Standing around idly did little to calm her raging thoughts. She was almost too relieved at the sight of her teammates - and Tenten - headed her way.

She could see Kiba grinning from several meters away as he yelled at her, "Hinata!" He seemed almost surprised to see her there.

She waved back, then twisted her hands together as she waited for them to get closer. She decided she would avoid glancing at the weapon's mistress and perhaps she would get by without any questions.

"Come to see us off?" Kiba asked lightly.

She nodded and failed magnificently at her plan not to look at Tenten. The girl just smiled slightly, "Don't worry, I'll take good care of these two."

Hinata was surprised at the kunoichi's sensitivity.

They all exchanged goodbye's and goodluck's before her team headed off with Tenten in tow. The heiress loitered at the gates for some time, until she could no longer see her team, then a little more.

She had no desire to return home to Itachi. She felt like he was becoming more of an enigma as the days went by, instead of less of one. She wondered if he understood her? Was she like an open book to him, ripe for manipulation?

The thought made her uneasy, and she had the strong urge to go to her own clan's compound, see Hanabi. But she wouldn't risk running into Neji. Not when her betrayal of his advice was so fresh. He could always see right through her lies like they were made of glass; transparent and easily shattered.

Despite the cold, she strolled through the market and busied herself, waited on the sun to sink below the horizon.

When it finally did, she made a slow trip to what was now her home, and prayed Itachi wouldn't be around.

She was relieved to find he had already retired for the night. Still, she found herself lying awake, listening for any sounds coming from his room.

All she heard was silence, until she finally relaxed, teetering on the border between dreams and consciousness, when a raspy scream tore through the house.

It was Itachi.

And he was screaming that he couldn't see.

That he was blind.

* * *

><p><em>I apologize for the wait. I know how frustrating it can be waiting on a new chapter. I'll try to do better for you guys!<em>

_Let me know what you think!_

_Big thanks, as usual, to my reviewers. The last few I got prompted me to get my butt in gear, so keep em coming. :)_


	10. The Surrender

**Contrived Flaws**

_Chapter Ten: The Surrender_

* * *

><p><em>All she heard was silence, until she finally relaxed, teetering on the border between dreams and consciousness, when a raspy scream tore through the house.<em>

_It was Itachi._

_And he was screaming that he couldn't see._

_That he was blind._

Hinata was out of bed and down the hall before she'd even consciously thought to move.

When she ran inside Itachi's room, she found him awake and sitting on the floor. He was clutching his face with shaking hands.

"I-Itachi?"

He said nothing and Hinata didn't hesitate to cross the room and kneel on the floor beside him. Little had been exchanged between them physically and she was unsure if Uchiha's were the touching kind. Kami knows the Hyuuga's aren't. But she didn't know what else to do. She was his wife, she was supposed to help, right?

Unflinchingly she snaked her arms around him from the side, having to sit up a bit to do so. She pressed her face to his shoulder, "A-Are you o-okay?"

She felt silly asking, or stupid. If his cries in the night were any indication, he was far from okay.

He pulled his hands from his face, blinked an impossible number of times before his gaze settled on her. "Hinata?" His voice was puzzled and hoarse.

She sat back on her heels and nodded, not knowing what else to do. Not knowing what was going through his mind.

Itachi grasped her face with his hands and he looked relieved. So relieved.

"What happened?" She asked, her timid voice sounding too loud in the dark room.

Itachi's face melted into a blank mask. His moment of vulnerability was gone. He was already getting up, pulling Hinata with him.

"I'm sorry if I frightened you," he said in his diplomatic voice. Smooth now, without a trace of fear or relief or doubt. It was startling how quickly he recovered.

"W-What-"

"Just an old ninja being paranoid," he cut her off. It sounded like it was supposed to be a joke, but there was no mirth in his eyes. And Itachi didn't joke. At least not with her.

"So you're n-not-"

"I am perfectly fine," he said, all but pushing her out of his room. "Please, go back to sleep."

He didn't close the door entirely in her face, but the message was clear: Go away.

She stood dumbfounded at the rapid turn of events. Her mind skittered to catch up. Itachi screaming he was blind, him not being blind, his shaking, his composure, his kicking her out of his room. All easily within the span of five minutes.

A measured knocking at the door startled her from her thoughts. She took a deep breath, grabbed a robe to be sure she was presentable, and headed for the door.

On the other side stood Fugaku Uchiha looking calm, if not a little irritable.

Hinata felt a sickening panic swell in her stomach. Fugaku had never come to their home, never been a guest in _her_ house. She was too frazzled to even begin to know how to properly behave.

Before she could make a fool of herself, she felt Itachi's warm presence behind her, close enough to be felt, but not quite touching her back.

"Father, come in." He gently herded Hinata aside and his father seemed as though he wished to go no further than right inside the door.

"Patrol heard a disturbance," Fugaku stated.

Itachi dipped his head, "I apologize, father. There is no cause for alarm."

Fugaku cast a distasteful glance at Hinata. Itachi leaned down and whispered in her ear, "I would be grateful for coffee."

Taking the clue, Hinata disappeared into the kitchen, leaving father and son to talk.

"Should I be concerned for your well-being?" Fugaku raised an eyebrow.

Itachi could think of no greater mortification at the moment than admitting to his father he had had a nightmare. Like a crying, sniveling three year old. Like a weak fool with no control of his emotions.

"Of course not, father. I apologize again for disturbing you. It won't happen again."

Fugaku looked decidedly unconvinced but chose not to push the subject at the moment. He nodded once sharply before taking his leave.

Itachi deflated slightly at the relief of his father's absence. He knew there would be questions later, but at least there was time. He would no doubt be able to form a cohesive explanation before that time came.

He ran a hand through his untied hair before going into the kitchen. Hinata didn't bother asking if everything was okay, he wouldn't tell her. Instead she continued to busy herself with making coffee, perturbed that she had no more to do at the moment than wait on the water to heat.

Finally, feeling foolish for continually adjusting the kettle, she turned around to face her husband. He had a distant look of worry on his face. He was looking her way but she was sure he was not seeing her.

His distress was unnerving. Itachi never looked worried, never looked scared. If she could say nothing else of his presence, she at least felt safe in it. But if _he_ was worried...

She stepped toward him, took his hand in hers. It dwarfed hers, tan and calloused and warm. Hers, small and pale, fragile looking.

Her touch seemed to pull him from his own mind and he looked at her, for the briefest of moments, in a way that made her imagine they were a real husband and wife. In love, concerned for one another, sharing each other's pain and secrets. It was like he had let her in for the tiniest of moments. In to what, she didn't know.

It had passed before she could really consider. He was Uchiha Itachi again. Heir, genius, prodigy, ANBU captain. And he was peeling her hand away as if the touch was a weakness.

The kettle whistled and Itachi took it as an out, pulling away quickly. Making coffee.

Hinata felt something like anger well within her. The urge to curtly tell him she was going to bed and go, leave him in his solitude if that's what he wanted, was strong. If he intended to always push her away, fine.

But the other part of her just wanted to help him. Wanted him to know he could show her his weakness and she would never share it with another soul.

The rational part of her knew that was not about to happen. The angry part demanded an explanation.

Emotions clashed and conflicted inside her until she finally spoke. "S-So ... You had a d-dream you were blind?" She honestly still wasn't clear what had happened, but felt he at least owed her that courtesy.

He took a sip of his coffee, pinched the bridge of his nose like he was in pain. She could see the wheels turning in his head just the same. Calculating, concocting. Did he mean to lie to her?

"I guess," he said at last. She was unsure whether he was genuinely uncertain or if he was merely putting her off.

Her resolve seemed to grow with her anger. "How do you not know?"

"Hinata," he said sharply. Then he softened his tone, "I am fine now. That's all that matters."

"Are you?"

"You should get some sleep," it didn't sound like a suggestion so much as an order.

Feeling especially rebellious, Hinata replied, "I'm not tired." She immediately regretted sounding like a toddler, but not enough that she'd have taken it back.

Itachi sighed in a put upon manner, refilled his cup all while Hinata stared at him.

"Why won't you talk to me or tell me anything?" Her stutter had fled with her self preservation. She missed neither at the moment.

"There is nothing to tell, Hinata-sama. You are exaggerating the situation. I apologize for waking you."

Her mind raged at him, you were _screaming_! You were on the floor trembling! That's not nothing!

But years with her father and Neji had taught her to recognize defeat, tell when a person would not budge. And Itachi was an unmovable mountain.

So Hinata resolved to ask someone else. Someone who saw everything above the mountain. Someone in the clouds.

* * *

><p>Hinata did not find him staring at the clouds, or smoking a cigarette, or even muttering "troublesome." She found Shikamaru training alone on an otherwise abandoned field.<p>

It was everyday stuff to keep his strength up. Nothing special. But he looked intense. He was clearly pushing himself to his limits, and beyond.

Hinata waited quietly by until he finished, unsure if he'd noticed her at all. But she had nothing more important to do. She was cleaning the nonexistent dirt out from under her fingernails for the fifth time when a shadow fell across her.

She looked up to Shikamaru's serious, perspiration laden face.

"Afternoon, Hinata-sama," he swiped a towel across his forehead and down to his neck.

She dipped her head, "Nara-san."

"Something I can help you with?" He waited a moment for her answer, but the heiress just twisted the end of her coat in her fingers. Shikamaru reached for his nearby bag and emerged with a bottle of water and a pack of cigarettes.

"S-Something's wrong..." She hesitated. It wasn't as if she hadn't planned what she was going to say. But now, with Shikamaru frowning at her, her mind went blank. She swallowed back her nervousness. "I n-need your help."

The Nara genius downed his bottle of water before fishing out a cigarette. "Sure, anything you need."

"W-Well I-I need you to tell me what hap-happened on Itachi's last mission."

Shikamaru was turning all of his pockets inside out and cursing under his breath. Hinata was fairly certain he wasn't listening.

"Nara-san?"

"Yeah," he said distractedly, going for his bag again. He rifled through it violently before coming away with a small lighter. "I'm afraid I can't do that, Hinata." His words were muffled by the cigarette in his mouth. He lit it and sucked in a breath of smoke and nicotine, blew it out away from her face.

"Please, I think s-something's wrong with him. Itachi."

"What kind of thing?"

"I can't..." She looked down at her feet. Itachi would never forgive her for divulging that information.

Shikamaru puffed on his cigarette again. "Alright, Hinata, I'll make you a deal."

She met his gaze and listened intently.

"If you think something's wrong with Itachi, serious enough to warrant telling me, then I'll break the law and tell you about our mission."

"I-"

Shikamaru held his hands up, cut her off. "Think about it a bit, then let me know. Our team isn't slated for another mission yet. There's time."

For some reason, Hinata didn't feel like there was time, but she nodded, thanked Shikamaru, and left.

* * *

><p>No sooner had she arrived home and closed the door behind her, than a knock sounded on it. She spun around and opened it to reveal Sasuke. There was a hint of amusement dancing in his eyes and Hinata wondered how she hadn't seen him behind her.<p>

"Is Itachi here?" he asked, shutting the door behind him.

"Um, I'm not s-sure. I just got here."

Sasuke walked around her and yelled for his brother. "You here?"

He emerged from somewhere down the hall, with a bit of irritation crinkling the corners of his eyes.

Sasuke wasted no time. "So, rumor has it there was some idiot screaming in here last night."

Itachi pulled up beside Hinata and smoothly wrapped an arm around her waist. She tried not to squeak like a dog toy when he pulled her against his side.

"Sorry, little brother, Hinata and I will try to keep it down tonight." He smirked slightly and pressed his lips to her temple.

Hinata reigned in a shiver. His lips felt like they ignited a fire against her head, leaving a burning sensation in their wake. She resisted the urge to rub at her temple, and tried not to turn an unbecoming shade of red. Wondering if she should help further the illusion, she reached up, thinking to hold Itachi in return, but only ended up clinging to a bit of shirt.

Sasuke managed to look simultaneously disgusted and unimpressed. "You don't seriously expect me to believe that."

"I understand that it's difficult for you to think of me that way-"

"Please, stop." Sasuke shook his head like he could dispel the images rushing into his mind's eye. "You're right about that, but I still don't believe you."

"I'm sorry to hear that, little brother." He stepped away from Hinata. Her traitorous body left her with a feeling it was missing something, warmth, strength. She felt weaker now. She didn't like it.

"Is there anything else I can clear up for you, Sasucakes?" Itachi said it in such a casual manner, like he was there only to help his little brother.

The younger Uchiha glowered at him. "Your failure of a wife still doesn't offer me tea when I come over," he snapped.

It was clear that his intent was only to lash out at something. He did not like his brother and his wife sharing a secret he was not privy to. Itachi was _his_ brother.

Hinata let out a small gasp and turned to head for the kitchen, but Itachi stopped her.

"I think we're finished here, little brother." His voice was quiet but stern; A clear dismissal.

"Whatever," Sasuke muttered. "I'll find out what happened." He looked directly at Hinata when he said it, there was no doubt.

And then he left.

Hinata didn't catch it at the time, but later she would ponder that look. It would eat at her thoughts like a cancer. And she would wonder, did Sasuke mean to use his favor? Would he demand she tell him what she knew?

For now, though, she was overcome with embarrassment at being called a failure.

"I-I'm s-s-sorry," she managed, frowning at Itachi. He must've hated being reminded what an awful wife she was. She may not have wanted to marry him, but she still never intended to disappoint him or her family.

"Hush," he said. "He was only angry. You mustn't listen so closely to what that foolish boy says."

"B-But-"

"Hinata," he gently grabbed her chin, tilted her gaze to meet his. "I rather like that you don't offer him the hospitality he thinks he deserves. Just remember your place when anyone else comes."

She nodded. It still felt like a scolding, but if Itachi didn't think she was a complete failure then perhaps she wasn't doing as poorly as she thought. He certainly didn't seem the type to sugarcoat things.

* * *

><p>Itachi found himself dreading the evening, the night, sleep. He couldn't. There was no other option than to stay awake. He wouldn't risk another outburst. He couldn't take the questions, from his wife, his brother, his father.<p>

But how long could he last? He knew better than anyone he would have to sleep eventually. He could go awhile; A few days, a week if he pushed it. But then what?

It would hardly be wise to build up such a sleep debt when the possibility of an important mission was around every corner.

He closed his eyes, rubbed them. It must've been his imagination but they seemed to be bothering him since the last mission. Just a niggling irritation.

"No," he muttered, it was only his mind playing tricks on him. His vision was perfect, his sharingan top notch.

He just needed rest.

* * *

><p>Hinata stood outside Itachi's bedroom door, the picture of ninja stealth. She wasn't moving, was barely breathing in an effort to hear her husband; Trying to discern if he was awake.<p>

She heard shifting and sighing and was that muttering?

"Hinata, your frantic presence is giving you away," Itachi deadpanned from behind the door. "Come in."

Disappointed in herself, the heiress pushed the door open and stepped inside.

"H-How are you?" She asked, stopping at the end of the bed.

"Fine. Did you need something in particular, Hinata?"

"N-No... Well," she paused, swallowed, "I c-can't... sleep." Kami, she sounded like a three year old. And that was the biggest lie she'd told today. She could fall asleep standing up right now.

"Try some tea," he said dismissively.

Hinata shifted, staring intently at her feet. The thumping of her heart was a roaring in her ears. Just say it, she urged herself.

"I-I was actually... I j-just wondered..." she gulped in air, "S-Some company." She frowned, wondering if she'd managed a coherent sentence. She didn't think so.

Itachi narrowed his eyes at her almost suspiciously. Then, all at once, his face eased into his usual placid expression. "Of course, Hinata-sama." He folded his blanket back on one side. "My bed is always open to you." He let loose the tiniest smirk. It was clear that he expected her to either run from the room or spontaneously combust.

If asked later why she stepped forward instead of back, she would have to blame it on that smirk, that smugness. She refused to be an open book.

So she stepped a shaky leg forward, dipped her head. "Thank you, Itachi." She mentally pumped her fist, no stuttering! Now if she could just take a few more steps...

Itachi hid his surprise well, instead looking pleased, like a predator whose prey had willingly walked into his trap.

Hinata suddenly found herself at the side of the bed, staring at the wrinkled sheet. Could she really do this? Could she really crawl into bed with Itachi?

"Is something the matter, Hinata?"

She shook her head and climbed in without another thought.

She was immediately engulfed with a warmth that made her shiver. Itachi, never one to back down, wrapped an arm around her and pulled her closer.

Hinata was all tingling nervousness, like every nerve ending in her body was on high alert. She forced herself to breathe, but only ended up getting a whiff of Itachi. He smelled like... like the forest after a summer rain. Kami, she sounded like Hanabi.

"Hinata," Itachi said quietly.

Not trusting herself to speak, she simply made a hmm noise.

He dipped his head down, brushed his lips against the shell of her ear, "Relax," he whispered.

It turned out to have the opposite effect on Hinata. Her face flushed red and she suddenly felt like running; What she should've done to begin with.

She pulled away, but Itachi's grip tightened. "Uh, uh. You're not getting away now."

She forced herself to take in another shaky breath.

"Now tell me why you're really here."

"I t-told you."

"Yes, but you're such a very poor liar."

She pressed her face into his chest, if only to hide it. She felt foolish now. Why did he always make her feel like a silly child?

"If y-you knew I was l-lying-"

His soft laughter interrupted her. It was brief, but it rumbled sweetly into her ears.

"I did not expect you to carry it this far," he admitted.

She felt a spike of pride at that.

"Why, then, Hinata?"

She buried her face more, unwilling to let him see her embarrassment. "I don't know," her words were muffled by his chest.

"I know," he said, amusement lacing his voice. Hinata marveled at the tone, one she had not heard from him. So much she hadn't heard from him except in the last few minutes. It seemed that when alone, really alone, Itachi was no longer a tyrant, an emotionless warrior. He was a person. A person that she could possibly stand to live with for the rest of her life. Maybe even enjoy living with.

"You're ready to produce an heir," he continued.

Okay, not so much _enjoy _living with, as completely hate.

Itachi didn't stop her that time as she reeled back, apparently speechless, or at least unable to form a coherent word.

He could see, even in the dim light, that she was a dangerous shade of red. So naturally, he decided to push her a bit more.

He leaned into her space and put his hand on her cheek. "I think you have a bit too much clothing on, though." He let his hand slide down her neck and tugged the shirt off of her shoulder.

She sputtered and squeaked as she backed farther away. But all she could see were Itachi's arms snaking after her.

"Don't fall," he said as he grabbed her and pulled her from the edge of the bed. "I was joking."

Hinata's mind struggled to catch up. Itachi. Joking. The two weren't computing in her brain. They just didn't coexist.

He coaxed her firmly back on the bed while her thoughts were still running away.

"J-Joking?" Her frazzled mind managed.

"Yes, Hinata. If you're uncomfortable, perhaps you should go to bed."

"No," she yelped. She had come this far, she wasn't backing down. It was a matter of pride now, if nothing else. She would not run away with her tail between her legs. She scooted closer, fully integrating herself into the bed.

Itachi smirked down at her. He pushed a bit of hair out of her eyes, not willing to let her hide behind it. "Now will you tell me why you're here?"

"T-To help," she said it so quietly he almost didn't catch it.

"To help." He repeated, trying to work out what she meant.

"You," she added looking up at him in that way that had made him want to smile once before.

He was fairly certain he knew what she was doing, though he'd be lying if he said he wasn't surprised at her method. He wanted to tell her he didn't need help, reassure her that there was no trouble. But she was so sincere in that innocent way of hers that he just said, "Okay," and wrapped his arms around her.

Maybe this once he could accept help.

* * *

><p>To Hinata's surprise, she fell asleep quickly. But not sweetly in Itachi's arms. She had already turned and claimed her side of the bed, determined to be there for Itachi, but not comfortable being that cozy with him.<p>

She awoke a few hours later to Itachi trembling and mumbling in his sleep. He was still firmly on his side of the bed, but he was clearly tense, engaged in whatever dream was plaguing him.

Without further consideration, she scooted over and grabbed his hand.

"Itachi," she whispered, squeezing her hand around his.

He gasped and his eyes shot open. They flew around wildly for a moment before settling on Hinata.

He blinked and rubbed a hand over his eyes. "I'm fine," he said roughly, though they both knew it was in vain.

Instead of asking what happened, Hinata just settled her head on his chest and listened until his heart rate slowed. He didn't protest, didn't speak, just ran his fingers through her thin hair until her breathing evened.

Itachi didn't dare close his eyes. He should've never let Hinata this close, let her see him this weak.

It wouldn't happen again.

* * *

><p>Before Hinata ever fell back asleep, she had made up her mind. She needed to know what would reduce the great Uchiha Itachi to a quivering wreck in his sleep.<p>

She would tell Shikamaru what he wanted to know.

* * *

><p><em>This quick update was brought to you by... YOU! Everyone that reviewed played a part in me writing this so quickly, so thank you! <em>

_Next chapter we'll find out what's going on!_

_Don't forget to review and let me know what you think. I take everything you guys say into consideration. _

_Cheers!_


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